Clarity of AMMK's move is likely on Saturday, 17 January, MG Ramachandran's birth anniversary.
Published Jan 16, 2026 | 2:12 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 16, 2026 | 2:12 PM
The board, which appeared on Thursday, 15 January, had a photograph of AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran, who had walked out of the NDA a year ago.
Synopsis: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending a public meeting at Mamallapuram on 23 January. The board, featuring Dhinakaran’s photograph, was put up as part of the meeting, expected to kickstart the NDA’s Assembly election campaign.
A flex board that appeared by the road at Mamallapuram sparked rumours of a possible return of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) to the National Democratic Alliance.
The board, which appeared on Thursday, 15 January, had a photograph of AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran, who had walked out of the NDA a year ago.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending a public meeting at Mamallapuram, a UNESCO World Heritage site along the Coromandel Coast in Tamil Nadu’s Chengalpattu district, on 23 January. The board was put up as part of the meeting, expected to kickstart the NDA’s Assembly election campaign.
Dhinakaran’s photograph on the board has been seen as a strong indication that the AMMK is contemplating a return to the NDA fold.
In recent months, speculation had been rife over whether Dhinakaran would rejoin the NDA. A formal announcement is likely on Saturday, 17 January, MG Ramachandran’s birth anniversary.
AMMK’s policy propaganda secretary and former actor CR Saraswathi expressed ignorance when asked about Dhinakaran’s photograph on the NDA publicity material.
“We have not received any official communication in this regard. On January 17, marking the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister MGR, our general secretary Dhinakaran will meet the press and speak. Until then, we are not in a position to comment,” she told South First.
Incidentally, Dhinakaran had on 15 September 2025 said that a new alliance in Tamil Nadu under actor Vijay’s leadership was “certain,” though he remained non-committal about whether his party would join it.
However, he had then categorically ruled out supporting AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami as the chief ministerial candidate.
“How can we be in an alliance where Edappadi K. Palaniswami is projected as the chief ministerial candidate? We demand that Palaniswami should not be the chief ministerial face. You can understand the rest,” he responded to reporters in Ariyalur.
Playing second fiddle to AIADMK, the BJP had said that while Narendra Modi would be the NDA’s face nationally, Palaniswami would lead e the alliance in Tamil Nadu.
The AIADMK has not responded to the flex board that also featured Dhinakaran.
Meanwhile, there were reports of negotiations that were underway between Dhinakaran and the BJP leadership, particularly with those close to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
