Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK and its great Dravidian rival, the AIADMK, exchanged jibes Friday ahead of the Assembly election in April, each labelling the other the 'B team' of their respective national partners - the Congress and the BJP - and questioning the other's standing and credibility in that alliance.
At the NDTV Tamil Nadu Summit, AIADMK boss Edappadi Palaniswami snapped back at Chief Minister MK Stalin, declaring "he does not have the courage to oppose us... so he is trying to create confusion by dragging in the NDA (i.e., the BJP-led coalition that includes the AIADMK)".
Palaniswami was referring to sharp remarks by Stalin earlier today; he criticised the AIADMK over its renewal of ties in April 2025 despite walking out just two years earlier. The AIADMK-BJP "alliance was born out of compulsion", Stalin said, and lacks any cohesive political ideology.
"The NDA is a nationwide alliance.... but in Tamil Nadu it is the AIADMK that leads it and the people have decided the AIADMK will come to power..." Palaniswami told NDTV in response.
He said also there is "no pressure on us" to acquiesce to any demand by the BJP or any other alliance partner, rebutting suggestions the national party will demand a role in any prospective government.
Corruption charges
The ex-Chief Minister then countered by throwing corruption and 'dynasty politics' charges at the DMK, pointing first to the Stalin inducting V Senthil Balaji into the government.
A former Excise Minister, Balaji was arrested in June 2023 over a corruption case dating back to 2011-15, when he was the Transport Minister in the AIADMK government run by J Jayalalithaa.
Removed from the post after his arrest, Balaji was re-inducted days after securing bail.
"The DMK is buried in corruption... they made Senthil Balaji a minister," EPS, as Palaniswami is sometimes called, said, "But AIADMK is known for a corruption-free government. Jayalalithaa showed what good governance is and I delivered a clean government."
On 'dynasty politics'
"The DMK doesn't have the courage to fight corruption... and only members of one family can rise in the party," he continued, picking up ally BJP's 'dynasty politics' line of attack.
This brand of 'family politics' is dangerous for democracy, EPS declared.
The NEET question
Jabs were also exchanged over the NEET issue - i.e., Tamil Nadu's long-standing opposition to the national entrance test for undergraduate medical courses. Earlier, Stalin asked the AIADMK why, despite being aware of the emotive subject, had not pushed for the state to be excluded.
EPS pointed out the NEET was set up when the Congress, the DMK's ally, was in power at the centre and accused his rival of "doing drama" on this issue. The DMK vowed, he claimed, to push for an exemption when it came to power but has left the matter in court since.
The Tamil people feel "cheated", Palaniswami declared, adding, DMK allies are "abandoning" the Dravidian party. "I don't know if DMK-Congress alliance will last..."
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
