“People don't know whether Tamil Nadu has a functioning government”: Palaniswami attacks CM Vijay

Speaking to reporters in Edappadi in Salem district on Wednesday, Palaniswami said people were unable to understand what was happening in the state because Vijay neither meets journalists nor regularly interacts with the media. He remarked that people did not even know whether a government was functioning in Tamil Nadu.

Describing the Vijay-led administration as a “Reels Government”, the AIADMK leader alleged that the government was more focused on projecting its image through social media than addressing public concerns and fulfilling its electoral promises.

Palaniswami also questioned Vijay's response to Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's assertion that Karnataka could construct the proposed Mekedatu dam without Tamil Nadu's consent. He urged the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to take a firm stand to protect the state's interests, particularly those of farmers in the Cauvery delta.

Referring to the Supreme Court's 2018 Cauvery water-sharing verdict, Palaniswami said Karnataka was required to release 177.25 TMC of water annually to Tamil Nadu according to the prescribed schedule. He argued that the proposed dam could affect the flow of water to downstream districts and threaten agricultural livelihoods.

The AIADMK leader alleged that the state government was failing to protect Tamil Nadu's water rights and demanded a stronger response from Vijay to Karnataka's position.