TTV Dhinakaran Slams EPS For 'Hiding Face' After Meeting Amit Shah
AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran launched a sharp attack on AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami, questioning why the Opposition leader had "covered" his face while leaving Union Home Minister Amit Shah's residence in Delhi.
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AIADMK faces internal turmoil as leadership controversy unfolds (File)
Chennai:
AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran launched a blistering critique against AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami, questioning why the Opposition figure concealed his face when departing from Union Home Minister Amit Shah's residence in Delhi.
"What reason does Palaniswami have to cover his face after meeting the Home Minister? Who is he attempting to mislead? From this point forward, he shall be referred to as 'Masked Palaniswami'. Tamil Nadu's citizens will no longer be deceived, and his defeat in the upcoming 2026 elections is inevitable," Dhinakaran proclaimed during Wednesday's press briefing.
The statement emerges amid growing turbulence within the AIADMK. Tensions escalated when senior leader and former Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan demanded reinstatement of expelled party members, setting a 10-day ultimatum.
Palaniswami retaliated by removing Sengottaiyan from his positions, exacerbating factional divides. Subsequently, Sengottaiyan traveled to Delhi for meetings with Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, sparking conjecture about BJP's involvement in AIADMK's internal matters.
As the deadline approached, Palaniswami also flew to Delhi, appearing noticeably uncomfortable when journalists at Chennai airport questioned him about his trip's purpose.
Upon reaching the national capital, he first visited newly elected Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan to extend congratulations, before heading to Amit Shah's residence later that evening.
He was joined by prominent party figures, including former Ministers S.P. Velumani, Dindigul Srinivasan, K.P. Munusamy, and MPs M. Thambidurai, C.V. Shanmugam and IS Inbadurai.
Controversy intensified when an alleged video circulated showing Palaniswami exiting Shah's residence late at night in a vehicle. The footage, which rapidly spread across Tamil Nadu, depicted him with a white towel covering his face.
This visual sparked widespread speculation and provided ammunition for political rivals like Dhinakaran to publicly mock him.
In an attempt at crisis management, Palaniswami subsequently shared photographs of his meeting with Amit Shah on social media platforms.
He revealed that he had requested the Home Minister to bestow the Bharat Ratna upon freedom fighter Muthuramalinga Thevar. However, he provided no details about other topics discussed, leaving many questions unanswered.
As AIADMK confronts internal dissent while BJP's influence appears increasingly significant, Palaniswami's "masked departure" has become a contentious political issue, generating both mockery and speculation in Tamil Nadu's already volatile political landscape.