The aftermath of the DMK-led alliance sweeping all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu has led to war of words between former allies AIADMK and BJP. The AIADMK has blamed BJP state president K. Annamalai for their poor performance and the subsequent breakup of their alliance.
The controversy began when Annamalai remarked that AIADMK's third-place finish in several seats where the BJP or its allies came second was a victory for his party. This comment did not sit well with AIADMK leaders.
Former AIADMK minister R.B. Udhayakumar criticized Annamalai, saying, "If Annamalai had controlled his mouth, there would have been a better result."
"Only one leader is responsible for this massive defeat of everyone. For his inexperience, all parties in Tamil Nadu faced this tragic result," he told the Indian Express. AIADMK leader SP Velumani echoed similar sentiments, attributing their alliance breakup to Annamalai's actions.
Velumani claimed that under previous BJP leaders, their alliance was successful. However, Annamalai's continued criticism of AIADMK leaders, including Amma (Jayalalithaa) and Anna (CN Annadurai), led to their decision to part ways. "If the alliance had continued, we would have secured 35 seats," Velumani stated.
AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) also weighed in, dismissing the notion that an alliance with the BJP would have changed the election outcome. He pointed out that despite the BJP's claims of growth in Tamil Nadu, their vote share actually dipped from 18.8% in 2014 to 18.28% in 2024. EPS taunted Annamalai, saying, "The BJP failed to cross the majority mark on its own because of its state leaders like Annamalai."
EPS further highlighted AIADMK's slight improvement in vote share compared to the 2019 elections, attributing it to his solo leadership in the campaign. He downplayed Velumani's comment about potential victories had they allied with the BJP, suggesting it was distorted for sensationalism. "Had allies of the DMK joined hands with our party, we would have won all the seats in the state," EPS added.
The AIADMK is now focused on forming a strong alliance for the 2026 assembly polls, emphasizing their independence from the BJP. EPS concluded, "Despite a defamatory and disinformation campaign against the AIADMK by rivals, the party performed better than in the 2019 LS polls and got one percent more in 2024, a big victory for the party."