AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has asserted that alliances are formed only at the time of elections and declined to categorically say if his party would align with the BJP for the 2026 Assembly polls. Palaniswami met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday and brought to his attention several issues faced by Tamil Nadu, including the need for funds release, the implementation of the Godavari-Cauvery river linking plan, and a probe into the "TASMAC scam." He said that while the party would decide on an alliance at the time of the election, he did not rule out a tie-up with the BJP.
He appealed to Kerala to extend cooperation to store full water in the Mullaiperiyar dam.
TN has alleged that the whole exercise of the Kerala government was to nullify the orders of the court.
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Vaiko on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to drop the proposed Dam Safety Bill saying it could affect Tamil Nadu with the state locked in a dispute with Kerala over Mullaiperiyar Dam.
Home Minister P Chidambaram on Sunday withdrew his remarks referring to by-elections in the context of the Mullaiperiyar dam issue which has created a furore in Kerala. "Like some other speakers, I also made a passing reference to the forthcoming by-election. I take back that remark," he said in a statement in New Delhi.
The court advised the two chief ministers to participate in the scheduled meeting on November 29 to resolve the dispute.
Passengers, including Sabarimala pilgrims, were caught unawares by the disruption.
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led by Vaiko on Monday decided to quit the National Democratic Alliance in Tamil Nadu alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre was acting against Tamils and betrayed the people of the state.