Will Edappadi Palaniswami Meet PM Modi in Tiruchi?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- First formal meeting between EPS and PM Modi since alliance renewal.
- Strategic discussions expected to influence 2026 Assembly elections.
- PM Modi's visit includes inauguration of Tuticorin airport.
- AIADMK rescheduled events to facilitate the meeting.
- Potential impact on local politics and party dynamics.
Chennai, July 24 (NationPress) Edappadi K. Palaniswami, General Secretary of the AIADMK, is anticipated to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tiruchi during the latter's visit to Tamil Nadu on July 26 and 27. This meeting marks the first official discussion between the two since the AIADMK reestablished its alliance with the BJP in preparation for the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections.
The Prime Minister is set to arrive in Tamil Nadu on the evening of July 26, after concluding his official visit to the Maldives. He is expected to touch down at Tuticorin Airport around 7:50 p.m., where he will inaugurate the expanded airport facilities before heading to Tiruchi for the night.
On July 27, PM Modi will participate in the Aadi Thiruvathirai festival at the historic Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple in the Ariyalur district. Following this event, he is scheduled to leave for New Delhi from Tiruchi at 2:25 p.m.
Sources indicate that Edappadi Palaniswami may meet the Prime Minister either late on July 26 or the morning of July 27 in Tiruchi. Although the AIADMK has not officially confirmed the meeting, the party has postponed EPS's previously scheduled campaign events, which were to occur in Karaikudi, Tirupattur, and Sivaganga on July 26, to July 29.
The statement from the party did not clarify the reason for the rescheduling, but political analysts suggest it is to allow for the meeting with PM Modi to take place. This interaction is particularly noteworthy as all previous alliance discussions between the AIADMK and BJP were primarily managed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
EPS and PM Modi have not interacted directly since the complications that arose during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when both parties contested independently. Earlier, Amit Shah had confirmed that the BJP would support the AIADMK-led alliance in the 2026 Assembly elections. However, EPS later asserted that the AIADMK would secure a clear majority and form the government independently, leading to confusion among members of both parties.
The upcoming meeting is also expected to address other significant topics, including EPS's reported request to the Union government to expedite investigations by Central agencies against DMK leaders. If this meeting is confirmed, it will be the first personal engagement between PM Modi and Palaniswami since Modi began his third consecutive term as Prime Minister.