Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, launched a statewide election campaign titled "Let's Protect the People, Let's Save Tamil Nadu" ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The campaign began in the Mettupalayam area of Coimbatore district, with subsequent outreach activities including interactions with morning walkers at the Race Course walking trail in Coimbatore. Palaniswami emphasized the AIADMK-BJP alliance's efforts to expand by potentially including more parties before the polls. He expressed hope to revive AIADMK's fortunes and end the current DMK rule in the state. Tamil Nadu BJP General Secretary A.P. Muruganandam confirmed BJP's active involvement in the campaign under Palaniswami's leadership. Meanwhile, Congress MP Karti P. Chidambaram criticized the AIADMK-BJP alliance, stating that the people of Tamil Nadu reject this coalition due to BJP's unpopularity in the state. Palaniswami also highlighted AIADMK's past contributions to making Tamil Nadu a welfare state during his exclusive interview with NDTV.