AIADMK's Palaniswami Says No Coalition Govt With BJP In Tamil Nadu

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) on Wednesday put a question mark on AIADMK-BJP's alliance. Recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had announced that BJP will fight Tamil Nadu assembly elections under Palaniswami's leadership, but today, EPS said it's uncertain if a coalition government will emerge in state in 2026.

"Yes, we will form the government together. We will fight elections headed by EPS," he said. "We will decide after winning. I don't want to leave any confusion for DMK," Amit Shah had said, leaving room for post-election decisions.

EPS clarified that there was no mention of a coalition government during press interactions. He emphasised that while the AIADMK-BJP alliance would govern together, it wouldn't necessarily be a formal coalition. "It has been made clear that PM Modi will lead nationally and I will lead in the state," EPS stated, suggesting an AIADMK-led government without BJP ministers.

Internal Affairs and Seat Allocation

When questioned about expelled leaders like O Panneerselvam (OPS) and TTV Dhinakaran, Shah responded, "We will not interfere with internal affairs. When it comes to the NDA alliance, AIADMK and BJP's Tamil Nadu unit will sit and decide." This indicates that decisions regarding these leaders' roles remain within the state units' purview.

Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagendran echoed Shah's stance on staying out of AIADMK's internal matters. He mentioned that seat allocation for AMMK leader Dhinakaran and former Chief Minister OPS would be jointly addressed by both parties' leaderships. "These leaders were part of the NDA even before AIADMK rejoined the alliance," Nagendran noted.

Political Observations and Future Prospects

Political analysts suggest EPS's statements might assert dominance within the alliance, especially since Dravidian parties have historically avoided coalition governments in Tamil Nadu. Amit Shah had hinted at a coalition model earlier, but EPS's comments seem to counter this notion.

Nagendran also acknowledged his predecessor K Annamalai's view that long-time allies like Dhinakaran shouldn't be sidelined. "Sure, what he said was true. Those who were already part of the NDA will continue," he confirmed but didn't promise seats from BJP's share.

EPS remains focused on defeating the ruling DMK, stating that election results would determine the alliance's strength. "Only elections will decide the strength of the alliance. Votes without a split should defeat the enemy," he told ANI, highlighting efforts to unite parties against DMK.