T.N. Assembly election: Palaniswami has ₹17 lakh loan and no immovable assets in his name

In the election affidavit filed by former Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday, it was stated he obtained a “hand loan” of ₹17 lakh and has no immovable assets in his name.

On Monday, Mr. Palaniswami filed his nomination for the Edappadi Assembly constituency, his home turf. In the affidavit, Mr. Palaniswami said he had ₹50,000 cash in hand and his wife, P. Radha, had ₹1 lakh on hand and, as Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), they had ₹1 lakh.

Mr. Palaniswami has ₹50.86 lakh worth of movable assets in his name, ₹2.16 crore worth of assets in his wife’s name, and ₹49.24 lakh worth of movable assets as HUF. In this movable asset, Mr. Palaniswami has 100 grams of gold, and his wife has 720 grams of gold. There is no vehicle in the name of Mr. Palaniswami and his wife.

Mr. Palaniswami said he had no immovable assets, including land, in his name, while his wife had immovable assets worth ₹3.45 crore in her name and ₹2.38 crore worth of assets are in HUF. Mr. Palaniswami said he obtained ₹17 lakh as a “hand loan” from one S.K. Moorthy. Likewise for 2024-25, he showed ₹11.07 lakh as income, his wife ₹12.25 lakh, and ₹2.79 lakh as HUF income.

‘Betrayal’ of DMDK

After filing his nomination, Mr. Palaniswami, responding to a question on DMDK general secretary Premallatha Vijayakant’s accusation that the AIADMK had betrayed the party after assuring it a Rajya Sabha berth, said: “We assured them a berth in 2026 but they (DMDK) changed their mind and joined the DMK alliance.”

Asked about the VCK flag allegedly not being displayed by some candidates of the DMK alliance, he said the question should be posed to that party’s leadership. This is the reward for VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan who strongly speaks up for the DMK alliance, he added.

Regarding the challenge by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin whether Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi would speak about the three-language policy in Tamil Nadu now, he claimed Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s family members ran a CBSE school [where Hindi is taught]. “This question should be asked to them (DMK). Without any option, the DMK is setting the ‘Tamil Nadu vs Delhi’ narrative. This is not a Parliamentary election, and the Chief Minister should understand this,” he added.

Alleging that the schemes and projects of the erstwhile AIADMK government were kept in abeyance by the DMK government, Mr. Palaniswami said that after his party came to power, these would be implemented across the State. “People are judges, and I am working for the people. All the demands of the people of the Edappadi constituency were addressed; if any demands are yet to be fulfilled, those will be done too after I win the election. People will give me a chance again,” Mr. Palaniswami added.

Stating he will participate in the Prime Minister’s election campaign in Kanniyakumari on April 15, Mr. Palaniswami claimed the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), with evidence, gave a report on corruption to the Director-General of Police to register a case against a Minister. “AIADMK also went to the court in this regard and the court also directed to register a case. But still it is getting delayed. After AIADMK comes to power, this issue will be taken legally,” he added.

Responding to TVK president C. Joseph Vijay’s claim the election was between DMK and TVK, Mr. Palaniswami said it showed their (TVK’s) ignorance. The AIADMK is the principal Opposition party and ruled the state for 31 years. People also want the AIADMK to come to power again. “The winning prospects for the AIADMK alliance is bright and our alliance will win 210 seats,“ he claimed.