Modalities, such as seat sharing and the composition of the government — if the alliance wins the polls — will be discussed later.
Published Apr 11, 2025 | 6:04 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 11, 2025 | 8:23 PM
Union Minister Amit Shah
Synopsis: The BJP and AIADMK will fight the Assembly polls next year under the leadership of Edappadi K Palaniswami, while at the national level, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the alliance.
The BJP and AIADMK will fight the 2026 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu jointly along with other allies.
Union Minister Amit Shah announced the revival of the BJP-AIADMK alliance in Chennai at a new conference held after the leaders of both parties met at the ITC Grand Chola Hotel. Though AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami was present, he remained silent throughout the press conference.
Shah refused to comment on possible tie-ups with O Pannerselvam and other AIADMK factions. “We will not interfere in the internal affairs of the AIADMK. As for election-related matters, discussions and decisions will be made under the leadership of Edappadi Palaniswami,” he said.
The announcement came even as Nainar Nagendran, senior BJP leader and the MLA from Tirunelveli was set to take over the party’s mantle from K Annadurai.
When asked whether the alliance was formed only after Annamalai was removed from the post of state president, Shah said, “There is not even a bit of truth in that because, Annamalai is still the state president and that’s why he is seated right next to me.”
Annamalai’s style of functioning was his criticism of AIADMK leaders, including the late J Jayalalithaa, had made the two parties to part ways in September 2023.
Shah said the number of seats to be contested and the composition of the government — once the alliance wins the polls — will be discussed later. “There is no need to talk about them now,” he said.
The DMK government’s failure, law and order issues and the lack of safety for women are being diverted by raising issues like Sanatana Dharma, the three-language policy, and constituency delimitation, the BJP leader said.
On the NEET issue, Shah said that the DMK was using it issues to divert the attention of the people.
Apparently playing up Tamil sentiments, the home minister said the BJP has always respected the Tamil people, the Tamil state, and Tamil Nadu.
“In honour of that respect and Tamil heritage, Shri Narendra Modi installed the Sengol in the new Parliament House. But the DMK is misrepresenting it,” he said.
“We have been translating the Thirukkural into various world languages, it has already been translated into 63 languages. Several foreign universities are conducting research in classical Tamil in Tamil Nadu. Prime Minister Modi has also published works by Tamil literary scholars. Today, the youth in Tamil Nadu can write competitive exams like the IAS and IPS in Tamil. But this was not possible when the DMK alliance was in power at the Centre,” he said.
Shah said the NDA government offered medical and engineering courses in the respective state languages. “For the past three years, every time I visit Tamil Nadu, I have been urging MK Stalin about this. However, these courses are still not being offered in Tamil,” he blamed.
The Union minister alleged that the DMK had committed a corruption of ₹39,000 crore through its excise policy. He further said the free dhoti distribution and 100-day employment scheme MGNREGA were also mired in corruption.
“The DMK has engaged in various corrupt practices, including sand corruption and power corruption. They are answerable to the people,” he said.
AIADMK leaders KP Munusami, SP Velumani and Thangamani were also with Edappadi.
Moves to revive ties in Tamil Nadu became public after an AIADMK delegation led by Edappadi visited Shah at the latter’s residence in Delhi on 25 March.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
