BJP, AIADMK Reunite Ahead Of 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly Polls—What You Need To Know

A year before the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, BJP and AIADMK formally revived their electoral alliance, The Hindu reported.

Union Minister Amit Shah said that a “coalition government” would be formed after the elections, and added that AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami will lead the alliance in Tamil Nadu.

Shah said the alliance would campaign on DMK’s corruption, law and order failures, and rising attacks on Dalits and women.

He accused the ruling party of deflecting people's attention with issues like Sanatan Dharma, NEET, and delimitation.

“We [the AIADMK and the BJP] will sit and discuss and if required there will be a common minimum programme… We will go in the midst of the people by taking their real issues. I believe that people of Tamil Nadu are aware of the real issues and they will seek answers from the DMK government,” Shah said.

Labeling corruption the biggest issue, Shah said that people of Tamil Nadu are "seeking answers from Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Rs 39,000 crore liquor scam, sand mining scam, power scam, ELCOT scam, transport scam, money laundering scam, nutrition kit scam, free dhoti scam, cash-for-jobs scam, and MGNREGA scam, in addition to other scams".

While PM Modi would lead nationally, EPS would front the Tamil Nadu campaign, Shah confirmed.

Recollecting the alliance between the AIADMK and the BJP in 1998 general elections, Shah said, “Modiji and great Jayalalithaaji have worked together in national politics.”

PM Modi, in a post on X, welcomed AIADMK back into NDA.

"Stronger together, united towards Tamil Nadu’s progress! Glad that AIADMK joins the NDA family...," he said.

When asked about forming government together if the alliance is voted to power in Tamil Nadu in 2026, Shah said, “Yes. We will form a coalition government...”

On cabinet posts for BJP MLAs, Shah said decisions would come post-election.

Before the press meet, BJP began a leadership transition in its Tamil Nadu unit.

Nainar Nagendran, the sole nominee, was poised to replace Annamalai as state president.

Nagendran’s rise—endorsed by Annamalai—is seen as a conciliatory move to repair ties with AIADMK, which exited NDA in 2023 citing personal attacks from BJP’s state leadership.

Asked whether Annamalai caused the 2023 split, Shah brushed it off, saying, “Even today he [Annamalai] is the State president and that is why he is sitting with me here".

Also Read: Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project: Seventh Steel Bridge Launched Over DFCCIL Tracks Near Vadodara In Gujarat