Madurai: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday alleged the AIADMK has gone fully under the control of the BJP and leader of opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami is attempting to bring the entire state of Tamil Nadu under the Saffron party’s control.

However, it will not happen and “no (Amit) Shah can rule Tamil Nadu,” Stalin, the DMK president said in his address to the party’s general council meeting here.

Stalin said the people need to be told on what may happen if the BJP-alliance assumed power in the state. They would stoke religion and caste-based communal violence and divide people in all manner.

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“People need to be told that they will not allow children to get educated, there will be no industrial growth, they will destroy Tamil Nadu’s unique characteristics by imposing Hindi and by way of cultural imposition.”

Without mentioning actor-politician Vijay, the DMK chief said they too must be given a fitting reply. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami wished a split in the DMK-led alliance and stories like snapping of ties between AIADMK and BJP were spun ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

However, the DMK-led alliance did not break up. As a result, Palaniswami has surrendered again to the BJP by visiting Amit Shah in March 2025 in Delhi.

“When the AIADMK-BJP alliance was announced by Amit Shah, Palaniswami did not even utter a word…only those who lead the alliance in the state usually announce the alliance. However, here, Amit Shah announced it.”

This showed that the AIADMK has fully gone under the control of the BJP. Next, Palaniswami is desperate to to take entire Tamil Nadu to BJP’s control.

“That is why Amit Shah visits Tamil Nadu often. I have already made it clear. No Shah can rule Tamil Nadu.” Late party patriarch M Karunanidhi and former mayor and party leader Muthu slogged for the party’s growth in Madurai.

Similarly, the chief minister said he too had worked for the party by hoisting party flags when Pon Muthuramalingam was the secretary of the composite Madurai district.

The CM said: “Madurai is a land of sacrifice, where many people worked hard for the party. It is a matter of pride that the meet is happening in such a place. Ever since the party was founded (1949), general council meetings have been held six times in Madurai and this is the seventh time. This is the general council which is going to pave the way for the party to form the government for the seventh time.”

He said the general council meeting is to devise a strategy for the success of the party in the 2026 Assembly election. The headlines in newspapers by the same time next year (June, 2026) should say that the DMK formed the government for the seventh time.

Tamil Nadu Assembly election is due by April-May 2026. Humility is the key leadership quality and he will never be arrogant, Stalin said, adding his faith in party workers gave him the confidence of a big win for the party in polls next year. Praising committed, resolute party workers, he said that only because of them the DMK, founded in 1949 is marching towards its centenary.

“The sun is permanent. Similarly, the DMK is permanent,” he said and appealed to party workers to work to make the party-led regime a permanent feature. “We can create it. You can do that. We can do that.”

Further, the CM said the DMK never had the “media comfort.” Irrespective of whether the DMK is the ruling or opposition party, it faced increased criticism. “However, the wave of support for DMK is more that the wave of opposition. Some are trying to hide it; divert it.”

Despite several obstacles, which includes those through the office of the Governor and economic and political challenges posed by the BJP-led Union government, the DMK regime has elevated Tamil Nadu and it tops Indian states in terms of growth.

The 2026 Assembly election is round the corner and the party has to gear up to overcome challenges from political rivals like defamatory content and lies under the guise of opinion polls. “If they try to set a narrative, we have to be one step ahead of them. Our truths should reach the people well before their lies.”

One of the reasons for the party’s victory is its robust alliance, he said and batted for dialogue and mutual respect among electoral partners for continuation of the alliance’s victory journey. Stalin underscored unity in party at all levels and appointment of youngsters in the two new party wings that were announced. The Dravidian party chief urged party functionaries to explain the government initiatives, schemes and welfare projects in their respective areas and make a comparison as regards the situation during the previous regime.

Stalin emphasised on the new membership enrolment initiative and said he would himself monitor the exercise. Though the party is robust in terms of organisational prowess, strong leadership and a deep commitment to ideology, that alone will not be sufficient for electoral victory.

“Booth level micro management is very important.” Stalin said he would meet party functionaries constituency-wise from the first week of June and assured “one to one” conversations at that time.

The party adopted resolutions including celebrating late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi’s birth anniversary (June 3) as Classical language day.

The party resolved to “drive away the AIADMK and BJP,” and right away begin field work in order to retain power in the state following the 2026 Assembly polls.

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