Chennai, Sep 7 (IANS) AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami is set to roll out the fifth phase of his state-wide yatra, ‘Makkalai Kappom Thamizhagathai Meetpom’, on September 17 from Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri.

The 10-day campaign will wind its way through several districts before drawing to a close on September 26 at Kulithalai in Karur district.

In this leg of the yatra, Palaniswami will hold 19 public meetings from his campaign vehicle, covering Dharmapuri, Namakkal, The Nilgiris, Dindigul, and Karur districts.

Party cadres and senior leaders in these regions have been directed to mobilise supporters and ensure smooth conduct of the programmes, according to an announcement from the AIADMK headquarters.

Since launching the campaign earlier this year, Palaniswami has already covered nearly 150 Assembly constituencies across Tamil Nadu.

His rallies have consistently drawn large gatherings, reflecting his attempt to position the AIADMK as a formidable alternative to the ruling DMK.

The yatra began with its first phase in February from his home turf Salem, where Palaniswami promised to “protect the people and retrieve Tamil Nadu from DMK’s misrule”.

That phase took him across western districts including Erode, Tiruppur, and Coimbatore. The second phase, launched in March, covered the delta belt of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam, where he highlighted farmers’ grievances and criticised the state’s handling of agriculture and water management.

In the third phase, Palaniswami campaigned across northern districts such as Vellore, Tiruvannamalai and Kancheepuram, accusing the DMK of failing to deliver on electoral promises and calling upon voters to “restore AIADMK’s governance of development and welfare”.

The fourth phase focused on southern Tamil Nadu, where Palaniswami travelled through Madurai, Theni, Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli districts, reiterating his pledge to bring back pro-people schemes launched under the previous AIADMK government.

With each phase, Palaniswami has sought to energise party workers, consolidate AIADMK’s support base and project himself as the unquestioned leader of the party.

He has repeatedly stressed that the 2026 polls will be a turning point for Tamil Nadu, vowing to return the AIADMK to power and steer the state “towards prosperity and development”.

The fifth phase beginning September 17 will be closely watched, as it will test AIADMK’s organisational strength in Dharmapuri, Namakkal, and the western belt, regions considered crucial for the party’s revival.

–IANS

aal/pgh