Tamil Nadu will ‘never yield’ to Delhi’s control, says MK Stalin

Tamil Nadu will “never yield” to the Union government and remain out of New Delhi’s control, Chief Minister MK Stalin was quoted as saying by ANI on Friday.

“Union minister Amit Shah says that in 2026 they [National Democratic Alliance] will form government [in the state],” Stalin said. “I am challenging and saying to him that Tamil Nadu will never yield to Delhi’s administration. That much uniqueness we have.”

The state is expected to head for Assembly elections in April or May 2026.

Tamil Nadu’s main Opposition party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and the Bharatiya Janata Party have said that they will contest the 2026 polls in an alliance.

Stalin’s statement came amid strained ties between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government in Tamil Nadu and the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre on several issues such as the delimitation of Lok Sabha seats, the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test and the National Education Policy.

The chief minister asked the Union home minister on Friday if he could assure Tamil Nadu residents that the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test will be scrapped in the state and Hindi would not be imposed.

“Can you give your word that delimitation would not reduce seats [of Tamil Nadu in parliamentary elections],” added Stalin. “If we are diverting, why didn’t you give a proper response to...

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