'Poisonous Mushroom To Cockroaches': Udhayanidhi Stalin Responds To Opposition Leader EPS, Defends Naming Schemes After Karunanidhi

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has called All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) a 'cockroach.'

EPS retaliated by calling Udhayanidhi a "poisonous mushroom". This heated exchange is part of a verbal spat that has been going on since EPS accused the ruling DMK of naming all schemes after Karunanidhi.

Udhayanidhi has now responded sharply to Opposition EPS' remarks, describing himself as a "poisonous mushroom to cockroaches and poisonous insects."

EPS had earlier criticised Udhayanidhi, calling him a “poisonous mushroom that bloomed after yesterday’s rain,” implying that the Deputy CM had risen to power through nepotism.

In a post on the social media platform X, Udhayanidhi mocked the comparison, stating, “He called me a poisonous mushroom that bloomed in yesterday’s rain. Yes, we are poisonous mushrooms to the cockroaches and poisonous insects that crawl to seek positions.”

Udhayanidhi accused EPS of making “empty allegations” and engaging in “useless criticism” to deflect attention from the DMK government’s achievements, India Today reported.

He also addressed EPS’s criticism of naming welfare projects after DMK patriarch Karunanidhi, defending the practice as a way to honor a leader who significantly contributed to Tamil Nadu’s progress.

“In the past, who named welfare schemes as Amma Canteen, Amma Cement, and Amma Salt during AIADMK’s rule?” he asked, referencing former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s legacy.

The exchange began with EPS accusing the DMK of excessive politicisation by naming initiatives after Karunanidhi, which he termed unnecessary and opportunistic. The dispute has since escalated into personal attacks and broader debates on governance, legacy, and Dravidian ideology.

While EPS emphasised his experience and long tenure in Tamil Nadu politics, Udhayanidhi dismissed his claims as self-proclaimed “experience certificates.”

The Deputy Chief Minister reaffirmed the DMK’s commitment to governance and welfare, stating that criticism from the AIADMK would not derail the government’s efforts to serve the people.