Coalition government: Why is EPS silent?

Though the campaign for the upcoming state assembly elections has not begun officially, the verbal criticisms from party leaders are blazing hot.
The DMK-led alliance formed during the previous elections remains intact for the upcoming election as well. There might be demands for additional seats, but none of the parties will leave the alliance. But the case with AIADMK is extremely different.
BJP leader and union home minister Amit Shah, announced that the BJP will be a part of the AIADMK-led alliance during his visit to the state. When he visited Madurai recently, he dropped another bombshell by announcing that a coalition government will be formed under the leadership of Edappadi K Palaniswami in the state. He also ordered his party cadres to identify 50 constituencies where BJP has a winning chance. That is, BJP is planning to demand 50 seats.
Forming an alliance, contesting the election, and forming a government independently is one thing, but coalition government is completely different. BJP leaders constantly talk about a coalition government. Former state president of BJP K Annamalai said, “A coalition government will be formed in Tamil Nadu, and BJP will have a place in it.” Current president Nainar Nagendran has gone a step further and declared boldly, “On the 22nd, we will take ‘Lord Murugan’s Vel’ in Madurai. In 2026, we will take over the Tamil Nadu government.”
At the same time, PMK and DMDK — which are in a broken state — have still not announced their alliance decision. Even though it is expected that these parties will join the AIADMK alliance, they are eager to be included in the coalition government. Anbumani Ramadoss and Premalatha Vijayakanth have expressed this openly.
These days, BJP’s voice is growing louder than that of AIADMK, which claims leadership of the alliance. AIADMK’s voice is loud only while criticizing DMK. But regarding the coalition government being led by BJP, even the second-level leaders of AIADMK show neither strength nor rhythm in their speech.
Is it going to be AIADMK rule, or coalition rule? The question of what decision Edappadi Palaniswami, who is leading the alliance, will make, has now taken on a larger-than-life form in Tamil Nadu politics.
He who once said, “There will never be an alliance with BJP,” has now formed an alliance with them a whole year before the election? How did that happen? Just like he joined hands with BJP while repeatedly refusing them, what is the guarantee that he won’t later say he will share power in government with BJP and other alliance parties?
Today, “coalition rule” has become the main topic of discussion in Tamil Nadu politics. Even television channels are preemptively discussing this topic. Edappadi Palaniswami would never want a coalition rule. Thirumavalavan’s warning that if BJP is given space, it will destroy AIADMK just like it did in states like Maharashtra, cannot be easily dismissed.
But Edappadi Palaniswami seems to be forced to like what he doesn’t like. His acceptance of BJP, despite disliking them, is a clear example of this.
In the midst of all this commotion, why is Edappadi Palaniswami staying silent about “coalition rule”? That is the puzzle no one can solve. Why is he hesitating to declare that, “After we win, only AIADMK will rule the state”?
EPS, don’t remain silent.