New Delhi/Chennai – April 11, 2025: In a significant political move ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Friday formally announced their alliance. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, flanked by senior leaders from both parties, addressed a joint press conference confirming that the two parties, along with other NDA allies, will contest the elections together.
Shah made it clear that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the face of the alliance at the national level, AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will lead the NDA in Tamil Nadu.
“AIADMK and BJP leaders have decided that AIADMK, BJP, and all the alliance parties will contest the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu together as NDA,” Amit Shah stated.
“These elections will be contested under the leadership of PM Modi at the national level and under the leadership of Edappadi K Palaniswami at the state level,” he added.
AIADMK’s No Demands, Says Shah
Dispelling speculation around alleged conditions put forth by the AIADMK for reviving the alliance, Amit Shah firmly denied any such narrative. “There were no demands from the AIADMK for this alliance,” he clarified. Shah also reminded the media and political observers that AIADMK has been part of the NDA since 1998, citing the previous association between PM Modi and former CM J Jayalalithaa.
“This took time, because this alliance is now permanent,” Shah remarked when questioned about the delay in announcing the tie-up.
Change in BJP’s State Dynamics
The announcement came just a day after K Annamalai opted out of the race for the Tamil Nadu BJP chief’s post, a decision that paved the way for smoother negotiations between the national leadership and AIADMK. While Annamalai has been vocal about a more independent BJP in the state, his stepping down seems to have created the space needed to realign with AIADMK.
Amit Shah emphasized the BJP’s structured approach to decision-making, saying, “As a disciplined national party, we rely on our central leadership and parliamentary boards to consider all angles before finalizing any alliance.”
A Five-Cornered Battle in Tamil Nadu
With this alliance, the 2026 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu are poised to be even more competitive. The political battleground remains multi-faceted with five major entities expected to lock horns: the ruling DMK, AIADMK-BJP combine, Congress, PMK, and various regional and caste-based outfits.
“Nowhere else in Indian politics do you see a five-cornered contest like in Tamil Nadu,” Shah observed, highlighting the uniqueness of the state’s electoral dynamics.
Looking Ahead
This renewed alliance is being seen as an attempt to consolidate the anti-DMK vote and challenge the ruling government’s stronghold. With Edappadi Palaniswami as the face in Tamil Nadu and Modi’s national appeal backing the campaign, the NDA hopes to make significant electoral inroads in a state where regional parties have traditionally dominated.
As the countdown to 2026 begins, all eyes will now be on how this alliance translates into on-ground strategy, seat-sharing arrangements, and voter outreach—especially in a politically nuanced state like Tamil Nadu.
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