BJP, ADMK renew tie-up for Tamil Nadu polls next year

CHENNAI: Home minister Amit Shah on Friday announced BJP and AIADMK have decided to renew their alliance for the 2026 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. Shah, who was in Chennai, said AIADMK will lead the alliance, and he was confident of a landslide win.

The announcement came at a press conference where Shah shared the stage with AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.

Hailing the alliance, PM Modi said it "will take TN to new heights of progress".

Significantly, K Annamalai, who was removed as BJP state chief later on Friday and was seen as the crucial factor in the break-up of the alliance in 2024, was present during announcement of the party yet again joining hands with AIADMK. These renewed ties mark a breakthrough for BJP's attempts to expand NDA alliance by enlisting new allies, and a calculated respect for AIADMK.

The two parties had contested together in 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 assembly elections. For 2024 LS poll, however, they parted ways after relations strained following Annamalai's remark that Jayalalithaa was "a corrupt politician".

On whether BJP would be part of govt under Palaniswami, if the alliance won the election, Amit Shah, who was present in Chennai, said it would be decided after their victory. Hailing the alliance, PM Modi posted on X: "Stronger together, united towards Tamil Nadu's progress. Glad that AIADMK joins NDA family. Together, with our other NDA partners, we will take Tamil Nadu to new heights of progress and serve the state diligently. We will ensure a govt that fulfils the vision of the great MGR & Jayalalithaa."

Earlier, making the announcement, Shah said: "NDA at the national level will be headed by PM Narendra Modi and in TN, AIADMK will lead the alliance." Expressing "full confidence" in the alliance's poll prospects, he said: "Since 1998, BJP and AIADMK were in alliance. Former CM J Jayalalithaa and Modi had worked together in national politics for a considerable period. Our alliance is a natural alliance. Once, we had won 30 out of 39 LS seats. I have full confidence that our alliance will register a landslide victory in 2026 assembly election."

"Even the number of seats will be decided at the time of the election," he said. Asked about the conditions laid down by AIADMK to join hands with BJP, he said: "There were no pre-conditions or demands by AIADMK." On including former AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran, both of whom head splinter groups, in the alliance, Shah said: "BJP will not interfere in the internal affairs of AIADMK."

The renewal of ties coincides with the strident DMK camp accusing BJP of seeking to impose Hindi and marginalise the South through delimitation.

Asked whether Annamalai would be given a new post at the national level, he said the party would take a decision at the right time.

Responding to a question on differences between AIADMK and BJP on issues such as NEET and the three-language policy, Shah said the differences will be sorted out before the assembly elections and a common minimum programme will be drafted.

Earlier, Shah visited the residence of former Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan to pay condolences on the death of her father and former TNCC president Kumari Ananthan.