CHENNAI, April 11 — India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) announced on Friday that they will contest the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election together, reviving an alliance that had collapsed ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah made the announcement during a joint press conference in Chennai alongside AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai. “Edappadi K. Palaniswami will lead the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) in Tamil Nadu,” Shah said, adding that the AIADMK had not placed any preconditions for the renewed partnership.
The move marks a significant political development in Tamil Nadu, where regional parties have traditionally dominated. The BJP has long sought to expand its influence in the southern state, and the alliance with AIADMK is expected to bolster its prospects.
Shah declined to comment on the possible reinduction of expelled AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam or Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran into the AIADMK, stating that the BJP would not interfere in the party’s internal matters.
The AIADMK-BJP alliance had previously allied for the 2019 general election and the 2021 state polls but broke ties in 2023 following differences over leadership and seat-sharing. The BJP and AIADMK are expected to begin discussions on seat-sharing and campaign strategy in the coming months.
