2026 polls will decide TN’s future between DMK's uniqueness and AIADMK's servitude: Stalin

Chennai: The 2026 Assembly election will decide the future of Tamil Nadu between the DMK, which stands for the state’s uniqueness, and the AIADMK, that bows down to Delhi with servitude, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Tuesday.

The election is to save Tamil Nadu's self-respect and uniqueness, the DMK president said.

In 2021, the elections were held to save Tamil Nadu from the bondage of the AIADMK, and the Assembly poll next year will be to protect the state from the BJP-AIADMK combine, he said.

"The democratic exercise in 2026 will decide the future of Tamil Nadu - between our government that stands tall with its uniqueness and self-respect and the slaves (AIADMK) who bow down to Delhi," the chief minister said.

"It will be an election to save Tamil Nadu's self-respect and uniqueness," Stalin stressed while addressing the party’s "En vaakku chavadi, vettri vakku chavadi" polling booth training programme for DMK members at Mahabalipuram near here.

He claimed that some "enemies" wanted to destroy Tamil Nadu directly and indirectly. "We must defeat them and safeguard our land, language, and self-respect," he cautioned.

Tamil Nadu was facing a social, political and economic invasion. Injustice was being done to the state in every way. "The BJP government wants to thrust Hindi and Sanskrit, and harass states by imposing NEP, NEET, and through the governor," he said.

"This is an assault on Tamil Nadu," Stalin added and accused AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami of pawning the state.

The BJP’s daydream of capturing power through the AIADMK will not come true so long as the DMK exists, he said and exuded the hope that the Dravidian Model 2.0 rule will start in 2026.

"With your hard work and dedication ensuring victory in all the polling booths in every constituency, we will form a government for the seventh time as well," he said.