EPS To Kick Off 2026 Poll Campaign Today, Hopes To Revive AIADMK's Fortunes

Ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) would launch his statewide campaign this evening from Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district - a traditional AIADMK stronghold in the western region of the state. The campaign is expected to cover all 234 constituencies, with the tagline "Protecting People and Redeeming Tamil Nadu."

EPS, who will address a public rally this evening, is expected to highlight what he calls the "failures and unfulfilled promises" of the ruling DMK government. His campaign will also focus on local issues in each constituency, in addition to statewide concerns such as law and order, women's safety, and the growing drug menace.

This campaign is widely seen as a make-or-break moment for the AIADMK, which has suffered three successive election defeats since the death of its charismatic leader J Jayalalithaa in 2016. The party's decline began under the dual leadership of EPS and O Panneerselvam (OPS) and has continued even after EPS emerged as the sole leader.

After walking out of its alliance with the BJP before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls - where both parties had a bad luck as the DMK-led alliance swept the state - the AIADMK has cautiously revived its ties with the saffron party. However, the alliance appears fragile, with little ground-level synergy and scepticism among cadres.

One of the key challenges for EPS is the lack of strong allies, aside from the BJP, which itself holds minimal sway in Tamil Nadu. The entry of actor Vijay's Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) has further complicated the political arithmetic. Vijay has categorically ruled out any alliance with the BJP directly or indirectly, keeping the AIADMK at arm's length.

Vijay's recent announcement as TVK's Chief Ministerial candidate and his plans to tour the state from September to December, along with a parallel membership drive, signal his intent to become a serious contender. Drawing comparisons with legends like CN Annadurai and MG Ramachandran, Vijay aims to replicate their trajectory from cinema to the Chief Minister's chair.

As speculation brews over potential political realignments, a few key questions remain unanswered:

• Will AIADMK eventually sever ties with BJP to woo Vijay's TVK?
• Will Vijay consider an alliance as a dominant player, or is he eyeing a solo march to Fort St George?

On the other hand, the ruling DMK's alliance remains intact and formidable. Having won three consecutive elections, the party is banking on its welfare programmes such as monthly Rs 1000 assistance for women, free bus rides for women, free breakfast for school children, and youth skill development schemes to retain its base. The DMK has also launched a door-to-door membership campaign aiming to enroll 30 per cent of the state's voters as party members.

With elections still nine months away, the political landscape in Tamil Nadu is heating up. What once looked like a bipolar contest is now shaping into a four-cornered battle - between the DMK-led front, AIADMK-BJP alliance, TVK, and Director Seeman's NTK.