AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran has launched a strong attack against AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) for allegedly covering his face while leaving a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. Dhinakaran questioned why Palaniswami would hide his face after meeting with the Home Minister, suggesting he was trying to deceive someone. He further stated that people of Tamil Nadu would no longer be misled, and his defeat in the 2026 elections was certain.

Dhinakaran has since mockingly given EPS the moniker "Mugamoodiyar" (masked man). He questioned if anyone has ever heard of a political leader leaving a meeting with alliance partners with their face covered, especially after the alliance had been formally announced in April of this year. Dhinakaran suggested that from now on, Palaniswami should be called "Mugamoodiyar".

Dhinakaran cited media reports and claimed that Palaniswami's son, P Mithun Kumar, was also present and covered his face as well. He stated that there was no need to leave the Home Minister's residence with their faces covered, as everyone knew who was meeting him. Dhinakaran claimed that Palaniswami instructed his other companions to leave in a separate car and then exited later himself. He concluded that only Palaniswami could reveal what actually transpired during the reported 30-minute one-on-one meeting with Shah.

Dhinakaran also criticized Palaniswami's recent remarks about "gratitude," "loyalty," and "betrayal," stating that Palaniswami has no moral right to speak on these topics and can no longer deceive the people of the state, as he has been completely exposed. Dhinakaran pointed out that Palaniswami had recently declared that he would never compromise on self-respect for power, during a public meeting in Chennai on September 15, marking the birth anniversary of C N Annadurai.

The meeting between EPS and Amit Shah occurred amidst escalating tensions within the AIADMK. Veteran leader and former Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan had demanded the reinstatement of expelled party members, issuing a 10-day ultimatum. Palaniswami responded by removing Sengottaiyan from his posts, which further intensified the factional tensions. Sengottaiyan then traveled to Delhi to meet with Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, leading to speculation about the situation within the AIADMK.

According to sources, the agenda of the EPS-Amit Shah meeting was to strengthen the NDA alliance ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election. EPS also reportedly reminded Shah not to antagonize the AIADMK by demanding the return of expelled leaders, as this would not benefit the alliance.

Reports suggest that Shah had been urging "unity" within the AIADMK, arguing that the AIADMK-BJP alliance lost at least 23 seats in 2021 because Dhinakaran fought separately. However, Palaniswami has resisted pressure to re-induct O Panneerselvam (OPS) and TTV Dhinakaran into the party, believing that such a move would destabilize the AIADMK. EPS reportedly told Shah that Dhinakaran had publicly stated he would never accept EPS as the NDA's chief ministerial candidate.

Despite the pressure from the BJP, EPS has maintained a firm stance against dissident voices, accusing OPS, Sasikala, and TTV Dhinakaran of "betrayal". He stated that there is no place for those who make useless talk and that those who betray the party will be isolated.

While TTV Dinakaran has referred to EPS as a "mass leader" in some statements, he maintains that EPS is going to lose because of ADMK. He has also stated he is still open to alliances.