Chennai, Aug 13 AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, on Wednesday, launched a sharp attack on former party leaders A. Anwhar Raajhaa and V. Maitreyan, accusing them of lacking political loyalty and hopping between parties for personal gain.
Speaking to reporters in Tirupattur during his state-wide tour, Palaniswami reacted strongly to the latest political shift -- former Rajya Sabha MP V. Maitreyan joining the ruling DMK earlier in the day in presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai.
Within hours, the Leader of the Opposition formally announced Maitreyan's expulsion from the AIADMK, stressing that such moves only confirmed his assessment of the two leaders.
"In a democratic country, anyone can join any party they like. But these two have never remained in one party for long. Only we know the real reasons behind their exits from the AIADMK," he said, suggesting that internal matters and ideological divergence played a role.
Maitreyan, once a close aide of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, had served three terms in the Rajya Sabha on an AIADMK ticket.
However, his influence in the AIADMK waned after Jayalalithaa's death, and he had multiple political stints, including with the BJP, before his latest switch to the DMK.
In July, another senior leader, Anwhar Raajhaa — a former Labour Minister in the AIADMK government from 2001 to 2003 -- also joined the DMK in Chennai.
Brushing off the defections as inconsequential, LoP Palaniswami asserted that the AIADMK-BJP-led front would emerge stronger ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
He hinted at new entrants to the alliance, saying, "Like-minded parties will join us in the coming months. We will decide who should be in our front. The coalition will be under our leadership."
Shifting focus to national issues, the former Chief Minister criticised the US for imposing a steep 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports, calling the move "unfair and detrimental" to India's economy.
"We are completely against this tariff. The Central government must take proactive steps to resolve the matter amicably and protect Indian trade interests," he said.
Palaniswami's remarks signal both his determination to project the AIADMK as the nucleus of a formidable opposition alliance and his readiness to dismiss the impact of high-profile exits, while also positioning himself as a voice on national economic concerns.
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