AIADMK meet passes resolution backing EPS
The executive committee meeting on Friday praised EPS for running the government successfully for over four years.
Chennai: Despite their loss in every election after 2016 and amidst a splinter, Tamil Nadu’s main opposition AIADMK on Friday resolved to stand by their general secretary and leader of opposition Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS). The AIADMK passed this as a resolution in their meeting held in Chennai at the party headquarters.
“The Executive Committee resolves to stand by the decisions and strategies devised by Edappadi K Palaniswami to register a victory in the 2026 assembly polls that will see the party getting yet another chance to rule the state,” the resolution read. “The committee also reposes faith in Palaniswami that he will cobble up the best coalition using his political acumen,” the resolution read.
This comes amidst calls for the AIADMK to reunite by taking back expelled leaders O Panneerselvam (OPS), TTV Dhinakaran and V K Sasikala but EPS has staunchly opposed the idea. Senior leaders including six former ministers had in July met EPS after winning no seat in the Lok Sabha elections which concluded in June and suggested him to reconsider his decision. But EPS has remained firm in his decision and promised to form a strong alliance for 2026 assembly elections. After EPS decided to end their four year alliance with the BJP last year, most of their allies joined hands with the saffron party for the Lok Sabha. The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam was the AIADMK’s only ally.
OPS and Sasikala have been urging for the reunification of the AIADMK to defeat the ruling DMK while Dhinakaran who floated the breakaway faction of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) wants to reclaim the party from EPS. “This resolution ends all speculation of a reconciliation,” a senior AIADMK leader said not wishing to be named.
The executive committee meeting on Friday praised EPS for running the government successfully for over four years after the death of J Jayalalithaa in 2016 until the 2021 assembly elections which DMK swept. The resolution traced the journey of EPS from starting as a branch secretary to rising to AIADMK’s top post as general secretary.
EPS will soon go on a tour across the state to rejuvenate party cadres, C Vaigai Chelvan, a party spokesperson told reporters after the meeting.