Spoke to Amit Shah about issues concerning T.N., not alliance, says Palaniswami

Edappadi K. Palaniswami. File
| Photo Credit: E. Lakshmi Narayanan

A day after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence in New Delhi, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Wednesday (March 26, 2025) said he discussed various issues pertaining to Tamil Nadu with him, including the law and order situation in the State, but they did not talk about an alliance.

Mr. Palaniswami’s meeting with Mr. Shah on Tuesday (March 25, 2025) sparked a buzz about the potential revival of ties between the AIADMK and BJP ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. 

Speaking to reporters at Delhi Airport on Wednesday, Mr. Palaniswami said he discussed various people-related issues with Mr. Shah during the meeting, which lasted about 45 minutes.

“There was no discussion related to an alliance. There is still one more year until the election, and there was no need to discuss an alliance. Ideology is different from our alliance. Alliances will change based on the situation,” he said.

Two-language policy, SSA funds

“We emphasised that the two-language formula should continue in the State and sought the release of funds to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme (SSA). We also sought the release of pending dues under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme,” he said.

The Opposition leader said he flagged the issue of delay in the release of funds for various schemes and also called for the allocation of funds for different schemes, including railway projects. “We also stressed that the delimitation exercise should not affect Tamil Nadu,” he said.

“We also took up issues relating to the deteriorating law and order situation and the drug menace in the State,” Mr. Palaniswami said, highlighting the alleged irregularities in the operations of TASMAC and seeking an investigation into the same.

We also took up the issues of Mekedatu and Mullaperiyar, and wanted the Godavari-Cauvery river linking project to be expedited, Mr. Palaniswami said.