EPS ridicules Stalin's 'Version 2.0 loading' remark, says AIADMK will win 2026 TN polls

CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami, on Tuesday mocked Chief Minister MK Stalin's "Version 2.0 loading" remarks made in the context of the 2026 state elections, questioning the CM on a number of issues, including women's safety and said the DMK will be shown the door in the hustings next year.

Palaniswami referred to incidents like the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy last year that left about 60 persons dead, the Anna University women student sexual assault, the Vengaivayal incident where human faeces were mixed in an overhead water tank largely catering to SC families, and also slammed the ruling DMK over the prevalence of drugs in the state.

He also took an apparent swipe at the DMK over the arrest of ex-minister V Senthil Balaji by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a cash-for-jobs scam in 2023.

In the elections next year, people will say "Bye Bye Stalin," Palaniswami said in a post on 'X.'

"There is only one version in 2026--that is the #TN_AIADMK version," the former CM said.

Earlier, Stalin, exuding confidence of his party DMK retaining power in next year's elections, said that 2026 means "Version 2.0 loading."

The DMK rule was going to step into its fifth year next month and he was confident that the next government will also be led by the Dravidian party, thanks to the various schemes and achievements, Stalin said in an address in the state Assembly.

"So far what has been witnessed is Dravidian model government part 1. Version 2.0 loading in 2026. We will create more records after that," he said.