True AIADMK cadre upset over party’s alliance with anti-Tamil BJP: Stalin

CHENNAI: Ruling DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday hit out at his party’s archrival, the AIADMK for renewing ties with the BJP, claiming ‘true’ workers of the party were not happy with the alliance.

The ruling BJP at the Centre “betrayed Tamil Nadu”, and despite this AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami forged ties with the saffron party for the 2026 Assembly polls and was now “spreading lies” during his ongoing statewide campaign, he charged.

In a letter to partymen ahead of the seventh death anniversary of his father and former CM M Karunanidhi, Stalin urged the DMK workers and supporters to uphold the pro-Tamil and pro-Tamil Nadu values propagated by the late DMK chief and work for the party’s success in the elections next year as well, which would ensure its seventh term.

In non-BJP ruled states and where the party had no chance of capturing power, the BJP was engaging in activities against the elected governments through Governors and it was the DMK government which undertook a legal battle and succeeded over the issue of governor approving state Bills, he said. “At a time when such battles have to be taken forward with more vigour, the AIADMK, which has no concern for Tamil Nadu, has aligned with the BJP which betrays the state.”

“Leader of Opposition (Palaniswami), who lacks any basic principles, went all the way to Delhi, knelt before the BJP and forged an alliance. Even true AIADMK worker is unhappy over this,” Stalin charged. Recalling the various pro-people and pro-language initiatives of his father-led regimes in the past, Stalin said his present government was walking the path, to ensure the rights of TN and its people.

On the occasion of Karunanidhi’s seventh death anniversary, on August 7, Stalin said a peace march would be taken out here towards his Marina memorial and exhorted party workers to pay respects to the Dravidian stalwart in their respective districts.

CM honours Dheeran Chinnamalai

Meanwhile, the 220th death anniversary of freedom fighter Dheeran Chinnamalai was observed across Tamil Nadu on Sunday, with leaders from various political parties paying rich tributes to the valiant hero of the Kongu region.

Chief Minister MK Stalin led the State in honouring the revolutionary. At a ceremony held in Guindy, Chennai, Stalin garlanded a statue of Chinnamalai and paid floral tributes in the presence of Ministers Ma Subramanian, PK Sekarbabu, Chennai Mayor R Priya, MLAs, and senior government officials.

AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami, who is currently on a state-wide campaign tour, also paid homage in Tirunelveli.

PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss paid tribute through a message on X. “Among the few who first raised arms against the British and who instilled fear in them with his bravery was Kongu king Dheeran Chinnamalai. On his death anniversary, let us pay our heartfelt respects to this fearless warrior,” he wrote.