CHENNAI: Launching one of the sharpest attacks yet on AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, State PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna on Saturday alleged that the AIADMK leader had attempted to form a government with the support of the DMK after the Assembly election results, calling it 'elephant trade' in apparent tit-for-tat over horsetrading charges.
Addressing party workers at the TVK headquarters in Panaiyur during a mass induction programme, Aadhav said Palaniswami remained AIADMK general secretary only on paper and claimed 90 per cent of the cadre would soon join the ruling party, claiming that 50 per cent have already jumped ship.
"One person is acting as AIADMK general secretary on paper. He accused us of horse-trading. But he himself tried to become Chief Minister with the support of the DMK after the election results. That unholy wish of EPS pushed many of you towards the TVK. It is EPS and Stalin who conducted elephant trading," Aadhav charged.
In a politically charged assertion, the minister claimed that TVK's electoral success in the 2026 Assembly polls was largely made possible by support from AIADMK cadres.
"All AIADMK cadres are in TVK. Our victory would not have been possible without their votes. They stood with us and ensured our win," he said. He called the AIADMK the "mother organisation" of TVK and said there was no difference between the two parties.
"I wholeheartedly welcome all AIADMK members into the TVK family. TVK is one family. Unlike other parties, there are no internal feuds, jealousy or power struggles here," he said.
At the same time, he appealed to newly inducted leaders and cadre not to sideline existing district-level office-bearers. "You will be treated with due respect like Minister KA Sengottaiyan," he added.
Extending the outreach beyond the AIADMK, Aadhav invited true loyalists of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi from the DMK to join the TVK, promising opportunities in local bodies and Parliament.