The AIADMK has officially declared Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) as its chief ministerial candidate for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, following a landmark resolution and a renewed alliance with the BJP under the NDA banner. With elections expected in April–May 2026, this alliance aims to reclaim power in a state where the DMK has dominated since 2021. Seat-sharing talks are yet to begin, but leaders on both sides are confident of a major victory and a new era for Tamil Nadu. WATCH.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, AIA-DMK has officially named Idhapadi K.
00:07Paliniswamy, popularly known as EPS, as its chief ministerial face. This announcement comes as part
00:14of a key resolution passed during the party's executive council meeting, signalling a renewed
00:20and united front against the ruling DMK. The resolution also welcomed the inclusion of the
00:25BJP and other like-minded parties into the alliance, aiming to consolidate anti-DMK votes
00:32and present a formidable challenge in the upcoming polls. The AIA-DMK's decision to project EPS as
00:38its leader was accompanied by strong criticism of the DMK government, accusing it of failing
00:44to fulfil poll promises and mismanaging key issues such as rising taxes, the three-language policy,
00:50and price hikes for essential commodities. The party further demanded transparency from the DMK,
00:56calling for a white paper on investments, job creation and the outcomes of Chief Minister
01:02M.K. Stalin's foreign tours. The resolution also condemned ongoing violence against women in the
01:08state and expressed support for the centre's move to include caste enumeration in the next national
01:14census. The BJP-AIA-DMK alliance, confirmed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, marks a big revival after
01:21their split in 2023. Amit Shah earlier said that the elections will be contested under the leadership
01:27of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the national level and EPS in Tamil Nadu. Both parties have pledged
01:33to offer a people-centric, corruption-free alternative to the DMK, which has dominated state politics since
01:402021. With elections scheduled for April-May 2026, the stage is now set for a high-stakes contest.
01:47The AIA-DMK, under EPS's leadership and with renewed backing from the BJP, is positioning itself
01:54as the primary opposition force determined to reclaim power and usher in a new era for Tamil Nadu.