AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday said the DMK had no moral right to criticise the AIADMK for its alliance with the BJP, recalling that the DMK had itself allied with the BJP in 1999.

Campaigning at Avalpoondurai Solipalayam in Modakkurichi and Villarasampatti Four Road in Erode (East) as part of his Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom tour, Mr. Palaniswami asked: “When the DMK could ally with the BJP, what is wrong if the AIADMK does the same?”

He said the BJP, which was once considered good by the DMK, was now being painted as bad. “AIADMK does not believe in vendetta politics. The DMK is willing to ally with anyone for power and fears our alliance,” he said, asserting that the AIADMK-BJP partnership was based on principles and a shared goal — to remove the DMK and restore good governance in Tamil Nadu.

Citing political events from the past, he said that when J. Jayalalithaa was Chief Minister and M. Karunanidhi was in the Opposition, Vaiko had split from the DMK. “There was an attempt to capture the DMK, but the AIADMK helped preserve it. We never seek revenge against opponents,” he said.

On river conservation, Mr. Palaniswami said the AIADMK had introduced the Nadanthai Vaazhi Cauvery project to rejuvenate the river and prevent pollution, a plan mocked by the DMK. “Now, the Centre has approved it at ₹12,500 crore and allocated ₹1,000 crore to the State,” he said. He accused the DMK government of failing to obtain Central funds for major projects and deceiving the people through false promises.

He alleged that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who made 525 poll promises, had implemented only 10% of them. “His claim that 98% have been fulfilled is a blatant lie,” he said. The government, he said, had failed to extend the MGNREGS workdays or secure timely wages, while the AIADMK, even out of power, ensured ₹2,999 crore was released for the scheme.

Mr. Palaniswami accused the DMK government of failing to control inflation.

“Sixty-five per cent of people are struggling. During our rule, we allocated ₹100 crore to stabilise prices through cooperatives,” he said. He also alleged large-scale corruption in Tasmac, claiming the Enforcement Directorate had detected ₹1,000 crore in irregularities and that ₹22,000 crore was illegally collected by charging ₹10 extra per bottle. “The DMK fears our alliance,” he said, adding that the AIADMK would form ties as it deemed fit. “Only those who flatter the DMK can become Congress leaders,” he alleged.