Has EPS Kicked Off the 2026 Poll Campaign in Coimbatore with BJP?

Chennai, July 7 (IANS) AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) launched his campaign for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections from Coimbatore on Monday, alongside Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran and Union Minister of State L. Murugan.

The campaign kickoff showcased a renewed display of strength for the AIADMK-BJP alliance, despite recent tensions regarding leadership and future power-sharing arrangements.

Coimbatore, a traditional bastion for the AIADMK in western Tamil Nadu, was strategically selected for the campaign launch. The initial phase of the tour will encompass 38 Assembly constituencies across the western, northern, and central regions of the state.

Palaniswami, addressing supporters from a specially modified campaign vehicle, firmly defended the partnership with the BJP, stating that the alliance was formed “solely for the benefit of Tamil Nadu.”

He criticized Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and the DMK for their remarks, accusing them of hypocrisy.

“When the BJP collaborates with the DMK, it’s deemed a secular alliance. Yet, when we do so, it’s labeled communal. Stalin should recall that his father, the late M. Karunanidhi, partnered with the BJP in 1999 and 2001. The duplicity is evident,” Palaniswami asserted.

In a fierce critique of the ruling DMK, Palaniswami accused the government of deceiving the public and failing to fulfill its electoral promises.

“This administration has done nothing but mislead the populace. The time has come to terminate this anti-people regime,” he declared.

Taking a jab at Stalin’s leadership, he remarked, “I think Stalin must be trembling at the sight of this campaign launch. He might even fall ill tomorrow.”

The presence of Nainar Nagendran and L. Murugan at the launch emphasized the BJP’s commitment to the alliance.

Notably, the rapport between the two parties seems to have improved since Nagendran’s appointment as BJP state chief.

This camaraderie was notably absent during the tenure of his predecessor, K. Annamalai, whose assertive leadership had strained the alliance.

Murugan, who originates from the western region and is recognized as the BJP’s prominent Dalit face in Tamil Nadu, shared the campaign stage with Palaniswami, lending symbolic significance to the joint effort.

The campaign launch occurs amidst the ruling DMK intensifying its outreach through a substantial door-to-door initiative aimed at reaching two crore households statewide to showcase its welfare programs and counter opposition critiques.

As the political climate heats up in Tamil Nadu, the united front of the AIADMK-BJP alliance from Coimbatore marks the commencement of a high-stakes contest for 2026.