EPS flies to Delhi amidst rumour of sealing BJP-AIADMK alliance for 2026 polls

CHENNAI: Amid rumours of a potential AIADMK-BJP alliance for next year’s assembly elections, AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami departed for Delhi from Chennai on Tuesday morning.

Though Palaniswami was travelling alone, sources close to the development have indicated that senior leaders from the Western Belt are expected to join him in the national capital later in the day. “S P Velumani and P Thangamani are most certain to join Palaniswami in Delhi later in the day,” said a source

The unexpected journey of the AIADMK leader has added significance, intensifying the speculation surrounding the possible revival of electoral ties with the saffron party. In recent days, Palaniswami has moved away from his firm stance of opposing an alliance with the BJP for the 2026 elections, now suggesting the necessity of uniting anti-DMK votes to dislodge the M K Stalin-led INDIA bloc.

Secrecy regarding Palaniswami's trip to Delhi was maintained until an hour before the scheduled departure. Information about his travel began circulating around 10 am this morning.

It is worth noting that S P Velumani recently met BJP's senior leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Coimbatore.

AIADMK severed its ties on September 25 in 2023 and passed a resolution in this regard

AIADMK deputy general secretary K P Munusamy read out the resolution passed in this regard in front of the gathered media persons and the party cadres. The AIADMK leadership squarely blamed state BJP leader K Annamalai as the reason for ending the five years ties with the BJP.

“For the last one year, the state president of BJP that is part of the NDA has been intentionally speaking ill against our party leaders Perarignar Anna (C N Annadurai) and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma ( J Jayalalithaa) with an ulterior motive, besides criticising our (party) ideology,” Munusamy said, after reading out the resolution on that day.

However, Chief Minister M K Stalin broke the suspense in the State Assembly and made public the details of EPS’ Delhi visit.

Replying to a call attention motion moved by mostly members of the ruling alliance on the trilingual policy issue in the House, Stalin said that the Leader of Opposition (LoP) has gone to Delhi.

He is said to be meeting ‘someone’ later.

The leader of opposition shall urge the ‘person’ on the linguistic policy issue, Stalin said, before assuring thee Assembly in no uncertain terms that the state government would not accept the trilingual policy under any circumstance whatsoever.

Hours after Palaniswami left for Delhi, party’s senior leaders K P Munusamy and S P Velumani left for Delhi at a 2.50 pm flight. They are likely to meet Amit Shah at the latter’s camp office to hold talks over alliance.

Meanwhile, Palaniswami told the media persons in Delhi that he visited the national capital to inspect the newly inaugurated party office. Rajya Sabha MPs C Ve Shanmugam and Thambidurai accompanied Palaniswami during the inspection of the party office.