CM Stalin dubs Palaniswami "coward," asks if he condemned Amit Shah

CHENNAI: DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday said that not all those who opposed his party were competent enough to be his party's rivals.

He slammed leader of opposition and AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami as a "coward" and demanded to know whether he spoke at least in a low-pitched voice against Union Minister Amit Shah for his Ambedkar remarks or if had taken on the BJP over the tungsten mining issue. "Does Palaniswami has the courage to oppose PM Modi?..no he does not", he said.

Palaniswami only spoke in shrill voice against the DMK both inside and outside the Assembly and he believed that people will see him like late AIADMK leaders J Jayalalithaa and MG Ramachandran. However, everyone will only remember his betrayals. The CM wanted to know if the AIADMK chief condemned the BJP for granting tungsten mining rights to Hindustan Zinc.

Addressing the party's executive committee meeting here, Stalin gave the party the slogan of "Let us win 200, let us make history," in 2026 Assembly election. The Tamil Nadu Assembly has a total of 234 seats and the ruling party has set the goal of winning 200 seats.

Reiterating that his party-led alliance, that was forged in 2019 with parties including the Congress and the Left, was based on ideology and principles, he said that was why several (opposition) were engaged in 'political calculations.'

His remark also comes against the background of actor Vijay-led TVK recently making a debut in Tamil Nadu politics by holding a grand meet in October at Vikravandi in Villupuram district. TVK has taken a firm stand of opposing the DMK and BJP. Besides the main opposition AIADMK, the BJP, Seeman-led Naam Tamizhar Katchi are opposed to the DMK.

Against this background, without naming anyone, Stalin said that not all those who opposed the DMK were competent or worthy enough to be the party's rivals. "There will also be opponents, just for the sake of getting attention. Don't allow attentional distraction."

The DMK chief advised party persons to spend their energy to defeat the 'true rivals,' and underscored that strategy was important to face the polls.

"The winning calculation is only for our alliance. The calculations they make against our principled coalition will only become flawed calculations. Notwithstanding whether the parties that oppose us, come separately or together, it will be the DMK alliance that will win the 2026 Assembly polls and that will not be an ordinary win, it will be a historic victory."

Stalin claimed that the DMK could never get the 'media comfort' the AIADMK, BJP and 'new parties,' received and this had been the situation since the days of the party's formation about 75 years ago. "This is a challenge that we have been facing for 75 years." The party has grown overcoming such challenges, he said.

"We have to work believing in people's welfare, and in our speaking and writing skills," he said and advised functionaries to bring the votes of women and the young people completely to the party's kitty.

He wanted them to make the younger generation understand the changes ushered in by the Dravidian movement in each and every family and, "for that each one of you must become a media." Further, he said, Our slogan is "Let us win 200, make history!"

However, Stalin cautioned party office bearers that victory in 200 out of 234 Assembly seats could not be simple and all of them had to work hard to bag maximum votes in their respective areas.

Taking on Palaniswami again, the DMK president said that the leader of opposition had blurted out that AIADMK's vote percentage had increased by 1 per cent in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The CM said the AIADMK contested in 20 and 34 constituencies in 2019 and 2024 LS polls respectively. It secured 19.4 per cent votes in 2019 and 20.4 per cent in 2024.

"In simple terms, the AIADMK, which on an average got 4.16 lakh votes per constituency in 2019, could secure merely 2.61 lakh votes in 2024. In each constituency, on an average it lost 1.5 lakh votes," Stalin said.

Making strong comments against the opposition leader, Stalin further said, Palaniswami, who had been "rejected and sidelined" by the people, made a "fake claim of increase in AIADMK's vote share. Even the AIADMK persons laught at this."

Furthermore, Stalin said: "The DMK is not a state party that confines its borders to Tamil Nadu alone ! We are working also towards safeguarding democracy in the whole of India by taking up that responsibility." It is the continuous electoral victories that provided the enthusiasm to the party, which continued to work hard after assuming power in 2021 in the state, he added.