AIADMK led alliance will sweep 2026 polls with over 200 seats, says Palaniswami

Chennai, Dec 10 (PTI) The AIADMK led alliance would win 210 seats in the 2026 Assembly polls as the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu has lost its popularity, party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said on Wednesday.

He was addressing the members of the party's top decision-making bodies-- the Executive Committee and General Council that met here.

Palaniswami said the DMK has been critical of his party's alliance with the BJP, but "they cannot say anything about the golden rule of AIADMK regime." "The AIADMK-led alliance will win 210 seats. You all should extend your cooperation for us emerging victorious in next year's polls," he said.

The AIADMK is heading the NDA in Tamil Nadu. Elections to 234 Assembly seats in the state are due in April-May 2026.

Maintaining that the party was built and protected by the late chief ministers M G Ramachandran (founder) and J Jayalalithaa, he said, "Peace, prosperity and development was their motto and because of their welfare initiatives to the people of Tamil Nadu, today no one can touch the party." Attacking the DMK, Palaniswami said the Stalin-led government has lost its popularity among the public and in view of the forthcoming Assembly polls, the DMK had announced that it would give away 10 lakh free laptops to students.

"Why should you give the free laptops now? Colleges had reopened five months ago. As you lost the popularity among the public and fearing that you might lose the next year's poll, you (DMK) announced that free laptops will be given to 10 lakh students," he charged. PTI VIJ VIJ SA