‘Bring all your aides’: MK Stalin challenges Amit Shah to win 2026 Tamil Nadu election

CHENNAI: Chief minister M K Stalin on Friday challenged Union home minister Amit Shah to win the 2026 assembly election in Tamil Nadu. “You think that by threatening some parties and by aligning with them you can win the election. You bring all your aides. Let's see who wins the 2026 election. Tamil Nadu is always out of Delhi's control,” Stalin said.
The CM was in Tiruvallur to distribute welfare measures to more than two lakh people. He inaugurated schemes worth Rs 418 crore and laid the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 390 crore.
Speaking at the meeting, Stalin made a veiled attack against AIADMK, saying, “Opposition parties in TN are not acting responsibly. They are aligning with anti-Tamils and want to mortgage the interests of the state.”
He said opposition parties are involved only in slandering DMK govt. “The opposition parties who are unable to complain about govt are now resorting to slander. TN is doing well in all the departments such as law and order and govt administration, and we are saying this backed by data,” Stalin said.
The CM said, “On issues such as opposition to Neet, three-language policy, Waqf Amendment Act and delimitation, we put forth the strongest voice in the country. DMK is the face of state rights in the country.”
Recently, Amit Shah visited TN and announced an alliance with AIADMK in the presence of party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami. During the meeting, Amit Shah told reporters that DMK was raising the issue of state autonomy to divert attention from corruption charges against them.
Recalling remarks of Amit Shah, Stalin said, "Tamil Nadu is fighting for the entire country. If you (Amit Shah) are saying that we are diverting the issue, why didn't you provide a proper reply to the people of TN on issues such as NEET exemption for TN, Hindi imposition, special funds allocated to TN, and delimitation?"
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited Rameswaram to inaugurate the new Pamban bridge. In the meeting, Modi said, "TN is crying for funds."
Citing Modi’s remarks, Stalin recalled the PMK’s comments when he was Gujarat CM. “You were the one who asked whether states are beggars when you were the Gujarat CM. You said that through governors, Union govt is running a parallel govt. You said Union govt was showing partiality in the devolution of funds to states, but now you are saying that we are crying. It is not crying but seeking our rights,” said Stalin.
Hitting out at BJP govt at the centre, Stalin said, “The BJP govt wants to prevent growth of TN in all possible ways, but we have broken all the shackles and become the number one state according to data of Union govt. All these were made possible due to our efficient administration."
Stalin challenged Amit Shah, stating that BJP's political strategy will not work in Tamil Nadu. "Amit Shah has spoken in Parliament that they will form govt in 2026. Even when he came to TN, he said the same. But I am now challenging him that Tamil Nadu will never be submissive to Delhi. TN is unique, and Tamils have their own identity. Your formula of dismantling state parties by threatening them through raids will not happen in Tamil Nadu."