Tamil Nadu polls: If betrayal had a form, it would be Palaniswami, says Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched a scathing attack on Opposition Leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Sunday (April 5, 2026), accusing him of building a campaign on slander and substandard rhetoric.

“If you say Palaniswami, it means lies and deception. He is hiding his own lies and telling lies repeatedly. The lies told by Palaniswami could be published as books; he is lying to that extent,” he said at a campaign rally here. “He has also made false remarks about former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi denying space for former Chief Minister Kamaraj, Janaki, M.G.R., and others…”

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He forgot that Karunanidhi, out of respect for Kamaraj, accompanied the leader’s mortal remains until the very last moment of the final rites, Mr. Stalin recalled. Mr. Palaniswami who became Chief Minister “suddenly” was thrown out by the people in the last election itself, he remarked.

“Everyone in the state is aware that despite the Union government collecting our taxes to benefit northern states and creating an artificial financial crisis for us, we have overcome these hurdles. We have successfully implemented all our promises, including the pension scheme,” he observed.

“Rather than holding the BJP-led Union government accountable, Palaniswami has chosen to target me. This is hardly surprising, considering he betrayed Jayalalithaa’s legacy by aligning with the very party she vehemently opposed,” the Chief Minister stated. “If betrayal has a form, it would be Mr. Palaniswami. How will the people listen to him,” he asked.

“While the public welcomes the coupon scheme with enthusiasm, Palaniswami alone seems distressed. He is making baseless allegations that DMK members will pocket commissions from this initiative. Since we are distributing coupons instead of cash for people to purchase their own necessities, his claims of commission-taking are logically impossible,” he said.

In this democratic war of ‘Tamil Nadu team or Delhi team,’ you must support the Secular Alliance in Virudhunagar, Mr. Stalin appealed to the public.

He was campaigning for DMK candidate for Aruppukkottai constituency Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, DMK candidate for Tiruchuli constituency and Minister Thangam Thennarasu, DMDK candidate for Virudhunagar Vijaya Prabhakaran, DMK candidate for Sattur A. Kadarkarai Raj, Congress candidate for Congress A.M.S.G. Ashokan, and Communist Party of India candidate for Srivilliputhur Mahalingam.