The meeting, held at Shah’s residence at 8.30 pm on Tuesday, 25 March, lasted more than two hours – an exceptionally long session compared to previous meetings between Shah and AIADMK leaders.
Published Mar 26, 2025 | 12:22 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 26, 2025 | 12:22 AM
Synopsis: The Bharatiya Janata Party and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have formally revived their alliance after a high-level meeting in Delhi between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami. The two-hour discussion, on 25 March, comes as both parties seek to regroup ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) have revived their alliance following a high-profile meeting in Delhi between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.
The renewed talks mark a strategic shift ahead of the crucial 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
The meeting, held at Shah’s residence at 8.30 pm on Tuesday, 25 March, was attended by senior AIADMK leaders, including Rajya Sabha MPs Thambidurai and CV Shanmugam, as well as SP Velumani and KP Munusamy.
Union Minister Amit Shah with AIADMK leaders on Tuesday
The discussion lasted more than two hours – an exceptionally long session compared to previous meetings between Shah and AIADMK leaders.
The alliance between two parties had previously collapsed after Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai repeatedly accused AIADMK leaders of corruption.
The rift led to a formal split, severely impacting both parties in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP, despite winning a third consecutive term at the Centre, failed to secure a single seat in Tamil Nadu – a result widely seen as a major embarrassment.
Opposition parties, including the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), used the BJP’s poor showing to claim it had been fully rejected by the Tamil Nadu electorate.
In an effort to recover lost ground, the BJP central leadership decided to re-establish ties with the AIADMK, summoning Annamalai to Delhi for consultations. Following detailed internal discussions, the party initiated talks with the AIADMK.
This culminated in EPS’s surprise visit to Delhi. He arrived by flight at 11.30 am on 25 March and first visited the AIADMK office in the Saket area before checking into a star hotel. The evening meeting with Amit Shah followed.
During the discussion, EPS reportedly raised several issues, including concerns about law and order in Tamil Nadu, allegations of corruption involving DMK ministers and the alleged ₹1,000 crore scam involving the state-run liquor corporation, TASMAC.
On the political front, BJP leaders reportedly urged the AIADMK to resolve internal disputes and strengthen party organisation.
Notably, Amit Shah is said to have expressed concern over the high-profile expulsion of O Panneerselvam – a close of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha, referring to AIADMK’s own rules regarding such decisions.
In response, the AIADMK delegation reportedly demanded an immediate halt to Annamalai’s public criticism of the party and its leadership.
Both sides also discussed broadening the National Democratic Alliance by reaching out to parties disenchanted with the DMK.
Following the extended talks, AIADMK leaders left in separate vehicles. EPS, smiling confidently, departed shortly after. Party sources described the meeting as “highly successful”.
The revival of the BJP-AIADMK alliance marks a significant political development in Tamil Nadu, setting the stage for coordinated preparations ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
