ED investigation shakes ruling DMK
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu politics is facing a dramatic turn as the ruling DMK goes on the back foot with a high-profile Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation mounting. At the centre of the maelstrom is a Rs 1,000 crore scam involving the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac), and the investigation is said to be focusing on people close to Chief Minister M. K. Stalin and his son, Udhayanidhi Stalin.
The legal fight of the state has gone up to the Supreme Court, where the Tamil Nadu government is opposing a Madras High Court ruling granting permission for the ED to go ahead with its investigations unopposed.
The case has become a political flashpoint, with Opposition parties alleging corrupt practices and abuse of public institutions on a massive scale against the DMK.
The Opposition AIADMK, on the other hand, has gained new momentum and revived its alliance with the BJP in a political manoeuvre before the 2026 Assembly polls. Having fought the 2024 Lok Sabha polls individually, the erstwhile allies have joined hands once again, hoping to capitalise on mounting discontent against the current administration.
The realignment is against the backdrop of increasing anti-incumbency sentiment fuelled by widespread outrage against corruption charges, perceived governance fatigue, and disenchantment with dynastic politics. The re-emerging AIADMK-BJP alliance is expected to put up a collective show and ride on what they perceive as an imploding narrative of the DMK’s clean governance.
Party sources claim that several key figures close to the Deputy Chief Minister have left the country amid the ongoing probe, deepening public suspicion and media scrutiny. Observers are drawing parallels to similar liquor-related scams that contributed to the electoral downfalls of ruling parties in states like Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
At the forefront of AIADMK is Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), who is now well and squarely the party face for the chief ministership. EPS’s style of functioning, marked by grassroots connection and organisational cohesion, is increasingly coming into focus. The new slogan of the party, “Yaar Andha Thambi?” — a stinging query for the ruling party’s crown prince — has resonated among voters, finding echoes over social and economic lines.
