Speaking to reporters in Madurai on September 17, 2026, Palaniswami said the proposed Secretariat‑Assembly complex at Pattinapakkam would burden a fishing‑community neighbourhood, disrupt nearby schools and exacerbate chronic traffic congestion, and urged the government to consider an alternative site.
He pointed to what he described as “huge borrowings” by the TVK administration, alleging that the state had taken on ₹40,000 crore in the first four months since coming to power in May 2026, and questioned how such a fiscal position could support a new capital‑building project.
Palaniswami also criticised Energy Resources Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar for denying frequent power cuts, noting that the government was procuring an additional 2,000 MW of electricity from the open market to address the shortage, and called for transparent, constructive measures to resolve the power crisis.
On the issue of upcoming by‑elections, he said the Madras High Court’s concern over MLAs resigning and re‑contesting was warranted, accusing the TVK of “horse‑trading” two AIADMK legislators into its fold and forcing them to resign against the wishes of voters in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, a claim he said even left‑wing parties supporting the government have condemned.
Challenging the TVK’s claim of a corruption‑free administration, Palaniswami cited recent DVAC raids that seized several lakhs of rupees from various government offices, arguing that these seizures demonstrate a rise in corruption under the current regime.
He warned that law and order had deteriorated, referencing the recent abduction of an elderly trader in Tenkasi district, and added that the government had failed to curb soaring food‑grain prices, leaving ordinary citizens bearing the brunt of the economic strain.