Lagatar24 Desk
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin took a pointed swipe at AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) on Tuesday, as the opposition leader left for Delhi, triggering speculation about a possible revival of ties between AIADMK and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Accompanied by senior party leaders SP Velumani and KP Munusamy, EPS’s sudden visit to the capital raised eyebrows across the state’s political spectrum.
“We know whom EPS is going to meet in Delhi,” said Stalin at a public event. “When he meets them, he should raise the two-language policy.” The comment is widely seen as a jab at the BJP, which advocates for a three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020—a policy strongly opposed by Tamil Nadu’s major parties, including the AIADMK, which support the state’s long-standing two-language system of Tamil and English.
Political Undertones and Alliance Signals
Udhayanidhi Stalin, Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK youth wing chief, echoed the sentiment, saying, “EPS will be meeting someone important today. Our Chief Minister has suggested he discuss the two-language policy with them.”
EPS’s Delhi visit comes just weeks after he stirred alliance speculation by saying on March 4, “Wait for six months” when asked about reuniting with the BJP. Though AIADMK severed ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2023, citing electoral drawbacks, recent developments hint at a possible thaw.
Adding fuel to the fire, Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai said only days later that BJP’s growing influence had made it a “sought-after ally” ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Though he refrained from naming the AIADMK directly, the timing of his statement was notable.
Alliance or Strategy?
While AIADMK had earlier categorically ruled out joining hands with the BJP again, EPS’s silence on the matter—combined with this high-profile visit to the national capital—has left observers reading between the lines. Political analysts suggest that both parties are weighing their options ahead of the high-stakes 2026 polls in Tamil Nadu.
Stalin’s jibe underscores the ideological and policy-based fault lines between the DMK and BJP, particularly on the language issue—a deeply emotive topic in Tamil Nadu’s political discourse.
