AIADMK Unveils Minority Outreach, Welfare Promises As Alliance Challenges Loom

In a bid to reach out to minorities for the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections, key opposition AIADMK has promised interest-free loans for women among minorities, including Muslims and Christians, for self-employment opportunities, if voted to power. Party chief Edappadi Palanisamy (EPS) announced this on Wednesday as part of his second list of key poll promises which include waiver of educational loans as well.

The AIADMK has just revived ties with the BJP ahead of polls. In the 2019 and 2021 elections, the AIADMK suffered consecutive defeats as it allied with the BJP. Minorities largely boycotted the alliance, and the DMK won both elections. Though, in 2024, the party snapped ties with the BJP, but both lost as the ruling DMK swept the polls. 

The party hopes a pro-minority stance could do some damage control. 

However, the challenges are many for the AIADMK to win back minorities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who spoke in Tamil Nadu recently, avoided mention of the AIADMK and said, "a BJP-NDA government will be formed", leaving the AIADMK embarrassed. However, the state party isn't perturbed. AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan had said, "the BJP is a national party, and that's how they'd refer. It has already been clarified that the AIADMK leads the alliance in Tamil Nadu."

While the ruling DMK has kept its alliance intact that has won three successive polls, the NDA has challenges. Expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam or OPS, who had quit the alliance, is yet to return while TTV Dhinakaran - another expelled leader - has made a comeback. The PMK is a divided house with a tussle between Dr Ramadoss, the founder and his son Dr Anbumani. Late actor Vijayakanth founded DMDK and Puthiya Thalaimurai have not made up their mind yet. 

Though the AIADMK and BJP tried to pursue actor Vijay's TVK, which has a huge following, the party has so far decided to fight alone, calling the BJP its ideological rival and will not ally with it directly or indirectly.

It's a now-or-never battle for the AIADMK chief EPS, under whose leadership the party has lost three successive polls after Chief Minister and party chief J Jayalalithaa died. The party has also promised three free LPG cylinders every year for ration card holders and free bus rides for men as well, expanding the ongoing free rides for women introduced by the DMK government.

As things stand, Tamil Nadu is heading for a four-cornered contest, with Director Seeman's NTK known to contest alone.