AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has reportedly expressed anger at party functionaries, saying the IT wing and other allied wings failed to carry out election work effectively. The remarks were made during a consultative meeting with AIADMK district-level executives.
The meeting was held at the party headquarters in Royapettah, Chennai, with executives from Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts. According to party sources, leaders noted that the party secured more seats in the northern districts than elsewhere, and credited the PMK alliance as a key factor.
However, executives said the AIADMK’s social media outreach did not match the scale of campaigning by DMK and TVK, which they felt affected the party’s ability to achieve a complete victory. Palaniswami reportedly intervened to say the IT wing had not kept pace with the digital speed of newer parties and had not used AI-based technologies.
He also reportedly said online campaigning was missed during the election period and that not only the IT wing but all allied wings underperformed. Palaniswami pointed to district executives’ role in appointing functionaries to these wings, and urged them to correct mistakes and appoint people familiar with new technologies, including AI. Party sources also said his son Mithun had worked in the IT wing.
The report further said internal differences continue, with the IT wing side alleging that criticism is being spread across all wings to deflect blame. The meeting was attended by Arur MLA Sampathkumar, Pappireddipatti Maragatham Vetrivel and Bargur Govindarasan, while Hosur MLA Balakrishna Reddy and Palacode MLA Anbazhagan did not attend; Balakrishna Reddy was reported to have attended an event in Hosur where TVK’s Environment Minister Rajiv participated.
