Leader of the Opposition and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) criticised Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin over his decision to attend the NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi, alleging that the visit was motivated by personal reasons rather than public interest.

Palaniswami accused the Chief Minister of changing his stance on the central policy think tank. “The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister who once boasted about boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting, claiming that the Central Government was avoiding Tamil Nadu, is now suddenly attending the meeting.”

He further claimed that the timing of Stalin’s trip raised questions about his priorities. “He didn’t go when Tamil Nadu people needed, but now he is going for family sake,” Palaniswami said, implying that the visit was being made under the pretext of official duty.

The AIADMK leader’s remarks come weeks after Chief Minister Stalin had himself mocked Palaniswami’s visit to Delhi. On March 30, Stalin took a dig at the AIADMK chief for skipping the Tamil Nadu Assembly session during the debate on a resolution against the Waqf Amendment Bill, which the DMK government claimed stripped away the rights of Muslims.

Speaking at a public event, Stalin had said, “You all know why. Early in the morning, without informing anyone, he took a flight to Delhi. After landing, he switched four cars as if he were involved in a scam before meeting Amit Shah.” The Chief Minister had also criticised EPS for being absent during a crucial discussion, claiming that not just Tamil Nadu Muslims, but the community across India had welcomed the state’s resolution against the bill.

Stalin further ridiculed the AIADMK’s confusion during the session, saying that its leaders exchanged nervous glances and made frantic phone calls in Palaniswami’s absence. He also mocked the AIADMK leader’s political claims, remarking that while EPS once claimed his party would form the next government, he now only says they will be the next opposition.