Chennai: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) on Friday challenged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to clearly state that anyone in the DMK can become the party president or chief minister based only on merit and hard work.
His comments came in response to Stalin’s earlier statement that opposition parties were repeating old accusations about dynastic politics against the DMK. Stalin had said that such charges were baseless and politically motivated.
Reacting to this, Palaniswami said the reality was different. He claimed that important posts in the DMK and the state government were mostly held by members of Stalin’s family. According to him, this shows that the party follows family-based politics rather than giving opportunities to all members.
EPS questioned whether an ordinary party worker in the DMK could rise to top leadership positions without family connections. He said leadership roles should be given based on talent, experience, and dedication, not on family background.
The AIADMK leader added that his party believes in equal opportunities and internal democracy. He urged the ruling party to be transparent and allow deserving leaders to grow.
The exchange marks another round of political sparring between the DMK and AIADMK ahead of upcoming political activities in the state.