CHENNAI: Proclaiming the solidity of his party led Secular Progressive Alliance in the State ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls, Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin on Monday put to rest the speculations about the integrity of the alliance, and said that the saffron plan of Delhi (BJP) will not succeed in Tamil Nadu when the Periyarsist, socialist, Gandhian nationalist and Ambedkarite movements remain united as Oraniyil Tamil Nadu (Tamil Nadu in one front).
Speaking at the launch of ‘Ungaludan Stalin’ scheme at Chidambaram in Cuddalore district, Stalin said, "Leaders of the Dravidian movement raised in the Periyar school of thought, socialist leaders embracing Marxian ideology, leaders of nationalist movements following Gandhian principles and Ambedkarite leaders remain united on the dais. This is ‘Oraniyil Tamil Nadu’."
Seconding the views of VCK president and Chidambaram MP Thol Thirumavalavan, who set the tone for the political proclamation of the INDIA bloc, a conglomeration of various liberal ideologies in the State, Stalin said, "I second his (Thiruma's) views. I affirm that when Tamil Nadu remains as one front like this, the saffron plan of any Delhi front (alliance) will not succeed in Tamil Nadu." Stalin reaffirmed the unity of the alliance against the backdrop of speculation that one of the DMK allies could exit and gravitate towards the BJP for the upcoming 2026 Assembly polls.
Reaffirms commitment to uplift Dalits Ilayaperumal statue unveiled
Waxing eloquent about the life and contribution of martyr Ilayaperumal, whose state and memorial auditorium he inaugurated at Lalpuram in Chidambaram this afternoon, Chief minister Stalin reaffirmed his commitment to empower and develop the marginalised sections of the society, mainly the scheduled castes and said that he would continue to fight with the union government to amend the SC and ST caste names and change to end with “IR” (in Tamil) instead of “IN”. Referring to the recent renaming of all student hostels as social justice hostels, the chief minister said, “I don’t say that everything will change today or tomorrow due to our actions. Social liberation is a long journey. It takes time. But, everything will change. Definitely, I, Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, will change.”
New industrial park at Kurinjipadi
Chief Minister Stalin also announced an industrial park spread over 150 acres for non-leather footwear and footwear components at Kodukkanpalayam near Kurinjipadi in Cuddalore for the employment of women in the region. The industrial part to be developed at a cost of Rs 75 crore will generate jobs for 12,000 women in the region.
Every fourth vote for DMK will be VCK's: Thiruma
An outspoken Thiruma, who left critics guessing by wishing AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami success for his ongoing campaign tour, reiterated his commitment to the DMK-led secular alliance. "VCK will forever be supportive of Chief Minister Stalin, who is delivering a 'model' government. The Dravidian Model government will be formed again in Tamil Nadu in 2026," Thiruma said.
"In 2026 Assembly polls, it will be Oraniyil Tamil Nadu (Tamil Nadu as one front). Tamil Nadu will be the DMK front. Other fronts will be of (a combination of) parties. This front, the Secular Progressive Alliance, led by the DMK, will be a front in which all people will converge. It will be a front that will usher in the return of the Dravidian model government again. VCK will stand hand in hand with DMK to ensure that. Of every four votes garnered by the DMK, one will be VCK's. We will engage in field work in such a way that not a single vote is lost. All Tamils must unite to ensure the formation of the Dravidian model government again in 2026," said Thiruma.