AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami met Amit Shah to discuss Tamil Nadu politics

New Delhi

AIADMK general secretary and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday said he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss the prevailing political situation in the state. He clarified that there were no talks on alliance or seat-sharing during the meeting.

Speaking to reporters at the New Delhi airport, Palaniswami said he met Shah at his residence on the night of January 7. He explained that he could not meet the senior BJP leader earlier during Shah’s visit to Pudukkottai due to prior engagements in Salem and Kallakurichi.

Palaniswami firmly ruled out any possibility of bringing back expelled leaders V K Sasikala and O Panneerselvam into the AIADMK. He said he had repeatedly made his stand clear and questioned why the issue was still being raised.

The meeting came on the same day when the Dr Anbumani Ramadoss faction of the PMK formally joined the National Democratic Alliance in Tamil Nadu. Palaniswami said more parties were expected to join the NDA in the coming months.

He stressed that his discussion with Shah focused only on the political situation in Tamil Nadu. He recalled Shah’s assurance that the BJP would not interfere in the internal affairs of the AIADMK.

When asked about the possibility of AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran joining the NDA, Palaniswami said talks were ongoing with some parties. He added that official announcements would be made once decisions were finalised.

Palaniswami said the AIADMK was currently working to strengthen the NDA with the sole aim of defeating the ruling DMK in the upcoming Assembly elections, expected to be held in March or April this year.