Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the AIADMK general secretary and chief opposition figure, met senior BJP leaders in Chennai on Tuesday to push forward alliance talks ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
The meeting, held at the BJP headquarters in T. Nagar, is a key step as the AIADMK‑BJP partnership tries to sharpen its strategy against the ruling DMK.
Within weeks, political activity has surged across Tamil Nadu. The DMK, AIADMK, BJP, Congress, DMDK, VCK, MDMK, PMK, and TMC have all begun campaigning. The AIADMK and BJP have renewed their coalition, but the BJP now seeks a larger share of constituencies, signalling a more assertive role in the alliance.
To lead the effort in the state, the BJP central leadership appointed national vice‑president and MP Baijayant Panda and Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol as the election in‑charges for Tamil Nadu. They arrived in Chennai on Monday and immediately held strategy sessions with the BJP’s state team.
The closed‑door consultation brought together a wide array of BJP leaders: state president Nainar Nagendran, Union Minister L. Murugan, national leaders Aravind Menon, Sudhakar Reddy, and organisational secretary Keshava Vinayagam. Former state presidents Annamalai and Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, veteran leaders Pon. Radhakrishnan and H. Raja, MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, and actor‑politician Sarath Kumar also attended.
Sources say the talks centered on seat‑sharing calculations, winnable constituencies, and crafting a joint campaign narrative to take on the DMK. The BJP pushed for more seats and a stronger influence on the alliance’s election plan. An informal discussion about bringing former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam back into the AIADMK to consolidate opposition votes also took place, although T.T.V. Dhinakaran will remain outside the bloc.
Tuesday’s meeting between Palaniswami and the BJP’s top strategists is expected to set the stage for a high‑impact campaign. Joint rallies and constituency‑level coordination are on the agenda.
For the BJP, it’s a bid to strengthen its presence in Tamil Nadu politics. For the AIADMK, it’s a move to cement a formidable anti‑DMK front before the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Source: ianslive
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