Union Home Minister Amit Shah did not interfere in AIADMK affairs: Palaniswami
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday asserted that Union Home Minister Amit Shah did not intervene in the internal issues of his party and nothing related to intra-party matters was discussed with him in the national capital.
Speaking to reporters here on his Delhi visit on September 16, when he visited Shah after calling on Vice president CP Radhakrishnan, Palaniswami recalled that on April 11, 2025, when the AIADMK-BJP ties was revived, the Union Home Minister made it clear at that time that he would not interfere in the internal issues of the AIADMK. When that was made pretty clear months ago, fresh claims again and again that Shah’s spoke to leaders on AIADMK’s internal matters should not be taken up or entertained, he said.
Veteran AIADMK leader K A Sengottaiyan had said on Sep 9 that he met Union Ministers Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi and apprised them about unifying and strengthening AIADMK by bringing back expelled leaders into the party fold. Sengottaiyan, who was relieved from his party posts after he set a 10-day deadline to bring back expelled leaders to strengthen the party, said he got an opportunity to meet Shah and Sitharaman in the national capital on September 8. When he met them, the AIADMK veteran said they discussed the current political situation in Tamil Nadu.
Palaniswami said: “I have also made it very clear, no such talks (on internal issues) were held with him (Union Home Minister). Also, he (Amit Shah) did not interfere in the AIADMK’s intra-party issues. Let us put a full stop to this.” Further, he appealed to media outlets to not present claims that Shah was interfering or intervening in the AIADMK’s internal disputes. “It is over,” he asserted and without naming Sengottaiyan or anyone else, he added that disciplinary action would be pursued against those who violate the party line on issues.
The AIADMK chief said Shah lauded him over his state-wide campaign and enquired about the constituencies that he visited and the sentiments of the people. On the allegation from DMK and AMMK, that he covered his face with a handkerchief when he stepped out of Amit Shah’s residence, the AIADMK top leader rejected it as politically motivated and shameful. Palaniswami said he only wiped his face using a cloth when he came out of Union Home Minister’s Delhi residence in a car. Such a claim was for doing “politics” and it was shameful and agonising, he told reporters.