Udhayanidhi Stalin, EPS’s ‘cockroach-mushroom’ jibe exchange escalates

There seems to be no end to the verbal sparring between Tamil Nadu’s Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and AIADMK Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), which began over the state welfare schemes being christened after DMK patriarch M ‘Kalaignar’ Karunanidhi.
In a series of heated exchange of barbs, Udhayanidhi called EPS a “cockroach”, while the latter retaliated by naming the Deputy Chief minister a “poisonous mushroom”.
Now, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi responded to EPS’s remarks by calling himself a “poisonous mushroom to cockroaches and poisonous insects”.
The verbal exchange stems from EPS’s description of Udhayanidhi as a “poisonous mushroom that bloomed after yesterday’s rain”, accusing the Deputy Chief Minister of benefiting from nepotism as the grandson of former Chief Minister Karunanidhi and son of current Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Udhayanidhi, responding to that through a post on social media platform X, mocked EPS’s comments: “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.”
He further accused EPS of issuing “empty allegations” and indulging in “useless criticism” to distract people from the DMK government’s work. Udhayanidhi challenged EPS’s understanding of the word “Dravidam” in the AIADMK party’s name, insinuating that the Opposition Leader lacked depth on ideological matters.
Udhayanidhi also asked about the AIADMK’s penchant for naming welfare schemes after former party leader J Jayalalithaa, often referred to as “Amma”. Udhayanidhi asked, “In the past years, who named the projects as Amma Canteen, Amma Cement, and Amma Salt during the AIADMK rule?”
The Deputy Chief Minister defended the DMK government’s decision to name projects after Kalaignar Karunanidhi, arguing that it was fitting to honour a leader who contributed significantly to Tamil Nadu’s development.
The spat began over EPS’s criticism of the DMK government’s practice of naming welfare schemes after Kalaignar Karunanidhi, a move EPS claimed was excessive and politically motivated. The issue has since snowballed into personal jibes and broader debates on governance, legacy, and Dravidian ideology.
While EPS touted his experience and long-standing role in Tamil Nadu politics, Udhayanidhi dismissed these claims, suggesting they were self-granted “experience certificates”. He asserted that the DMK would not be deterred by the AIADMK’s critiques and would continue its work for the welfare of the people.