Opposition AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami has criticised the ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu (a southern Indian state) for failing to make progress on the long-running Mullaperiyar dam dispute with neighbouring Kerala, using the issue to galvanise farmers ahead of upcoming by-elections. Speaking at a rally in Andipatti, Theni district, alongside AMMK ally T.T.V. Dhinakaran, Palaniswami argued the DMK had squandered an opportunity to resolve the dispute given that Kerala is governed by a Communist Party of India (Marxist) administration, which is a national alliance partner of the DMK. The Mullaperiyar dam, built over a century ago and operated by Tamil Nadu but located in Kerala, has long been a flashpoint between the two states over water rights and structural safety concerns.