Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026 | AIADMK dancing to BJP's tunes, DMK bloc will win over 200 seats: MK Stalin

Chennai: The DMK-led alliance will win more than 200 seats in the April 23 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, party president and Chief Minister MK Stalin has asserted, and accused the AIADMK of "dancing to the tunes of Delhi", saying it lacks ideology or principle, and that the "Delhi BJP functions as its headquarters".

In an interview to PTI, Stalin said that during the five-year Dravidian model rule, his government has implemented countless welfare schemes, including the Kalaignar Women's Entitlement Scheme of Rs 1000 per month, free bus travel for women, Breakfast Scheme for school children, and free electricity connections for two lakh farmers.

"People have placed immense love and trust in my party, and that with their support, the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) will win more than 200 seats and form the Dravidian Model 2.0 government," he said. Elections to 234 Assembly seats will be held on April 23.

Stalin also attacked the AIADMK leadership, saying it lacks ideology or principle and that the Delhi BJP functions as its headquarters.

Defending his usage of the strong term "slave" against AIADMK leaders, he said, "how to describe those who mortgaged all the rights of Tamil Nadu? How else to describe those who dance to the tunes of Delhi." In a wide-ranging interaction, the 73-year-old leader also touched on seat-sharing talks with the Congress, charges against his family and law and order situation in the state, among other issues.

Asked if the seat-sharing talks with the Congress ahead of the 2026 assembly polls were the "toughest in decades", he said, "such scenarios are usual during parleys to allocate seats. The talks were concluded cordially, and the leaders and cadres are in the field for the victory of alliance candidates".

He also said that the alliance, since 2019, has been going strong, and more parties have joined to further strengthen the SPA. "Not only in Tamil Nadu, but our alliance will register a spectacular win in Puducherry also," he said. Election to 30 seats in the neighbouring union territory was held on April 9.

On admitting three-time AIADMK Chief Minister O Panneerselvam into the party, he said, "people understand the AIADMK's status well. It lacks ideology or principles, and the Delhi BJP is that party's headquarters.

"That is why those who grew up with a commitment to the Dravidian movement's ideology join the DMK, the fountainhead of the Dravidian movement. Brother O Panneerselvam has also chosen that path and joined the DMK." When asked about the allotment of 10 seats to the DMDK, especially when the DMK appeared to be sitting pretty, he said: "Our path is respecting and embracing allies and protecting the dignity of democracy. In view of this stance, parties like the DMDK that are concerned about the welfare of the people and the state's rights form alliances with us." When asked about a larger role at the national level in the INDIA bloc, Stalin recalled the famous quote of his father and late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi in similar circumstances and asserted that he was aware of his limits.

Stalin dismissed AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami's allegation of "CM's family acting as power centre" as imaginary and intended to divert attention.

He said the "power centre" jibe was only an allegation aimed at diverting attention from the Dravidian model regime's good governance and achievements over five years. "There is no need to reply to Palaniswami's imaginary tales." On allegations levelled by the AIADMK chief over crimes against women in the state, Stalin said the Pollachi sexual assault case stood as a testimony for the crimes against women during Palaniswami-led "AIADMK government's misrule," wherein even a woman IPS officer was subjected to sexual harassment.

Palaniswami does not have any locus standi to comment either on law and order or women's safety as his party has an electoral alliance with those who changed Manipur into a "land of violence," the chief minister alleged.

"Similar to the way they ruined Tamil Nadu by transforming it into a warehouse for gutkha, they also left behind a situation wherein there was no action on crimes against women. However, after the DMK took over, by way of tough action, we have wiped out intoxicants, including gutkha," he said.

On crimes against women, Stalin said a huge awareness has been created to encourage affected women to lodge complaints by visiting police stations.

"We have set up Thozhi (friend) hostels for the sake of the safety of working women. It is the DMK regime which has secured punishments in a very short time in cases involving crimes against women. Not only that, we have made punishments for crimes against women more stringent by way of effecting appropriate amendments to relevant laws," he said.

Tamil Nadu has the most working women, as their safety has been ensured by the government.

"Ïn the whole of India, Tamil Nadu is the No.1 state in terms of safety for women," he added.