Tamil Nadu Assembly election: Kanimozhi targets AIADMK-BJP alliance, calls it opportunistic

Many Opposition leaders face I-T raids as well as CBI and ED cases, but once they align with the BJP, all cases disappear, alleged DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi.

At the Manapparai constituency in Tiruchi on Saturday (April 4, 2026), she canvassed votes for P. Abdul Samad, the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) candidate contesting under the DMK’s ‘Rising Sun’ symbol, highlighting the development works carried out in the constituency.

Criticising the AIADMK election manifesto, she quipped that “while a fridge has been offered, a washing machine would be more appropriate for the NDA in Tamil Nadu.” Ms. Kanimozhi accused AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami of entering this “washing machine” solely to protect himself, and described the NDA as purely opportunistic, shifting with each election and showing little regard for Tamil Nadu’s welfare.

Ms. Kanimozhi said the DMK alliance was guided by strong principles aimed at protecting Tamil Nadu. Referring to earlier political alignments, she noted that measures such as the Citizenship Amendment Act and the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, which criminalised triple talaq, were passed by the BJP without any objection from the AIADMK.

She also raised concerns over policies affecting farmers, the imposition of Hindi, and the lack of support for Keeladi excavations, while criticising conditional funding for school education. She framed the election as an ideological battle to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interests. “This is a battle between Keeladi and Nagpur,” she said.

Pointing to recent political shifts, she recalled that during the Lok Sabha elections, Mr. Palaniswami had opposed the CAA and ruled out any truck with the BJP in the future. “His current stance reflects a move driven by political survival,” she charged.

Ms. Kanimozhi also questioned the stalling of projects such as the Metro Rail expansion and the delay in the construction of AIIMS, citing a lack of clarity on the timeline.