AIADMK splinter group Rejects appeal for integration “In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party will get more votes than it did in 2019,” Party General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami told reporters at Coimbatore on Thursday. Asking about the people who got away from us this time, he said, “Because Our party is strong. We had a larger percentage of votes over this year’s election. And what have those who broke away from us achieved this time.”
It also rubbished the newly formed “AIADMK Integration Committee” and contested the credentials of its members.“Is there a committee? Who are these? I can’t answer to every committee,” he replied. The committee includes former Artificial Intelligence ADMK members V Pugazhendhi, KC Palaniswami and JCD Prabhakar all of whom were expelled or parted company with EPS after J Jayalalithaa died.
The AIADMK suffered a major defeat in LS polls following which they suggested forming a committee in order to gather all those who had been divided by AIADMK and make it strong again.“We have become stronger since they left us,” EPS commented.
He also rejected suggestions that unity among factions was necessary following LS poll loss. “Firstly don’t say that we failed here. We increased our vote share”, EPS noted.
According to EPS, DMK’s vote share has fallen from 33.5% in 2019 to 26.9% at present; while that of BJP front declined yet AIADMK vote share rose up. “But someone has put out a wrong campaign that AIADMK has got seriously hit by it… This is not true.” He noted.
EPS stated that despite several star campaigners fielded by both DMK and BJP front, AIADMK registered just one percent increase in vote share.
EPS also mentioned that Tamil Nadu people voted differently during Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. “So we will win more seats and take power in the parliamentary elections of 2026”, he said.
Speaking concerning Vikravandi by-poll, he said the party’s decision would be announced soon.
