EPS-Shah meet intensifies buzz on BJP, AIADMK ties

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday called on Union home minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah amid speculation of a possible tie-up between the former allies ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly polls, with people aware of the matter saying both parties may set up a steering committee to work out the alliance modalities.

According to leaders aware of the details, there have been several rounds of talks between the leadership of the two parties in the state.

“The natural course of action is meeting the leadership in Delhi as the final call will be taken here. Both the parties are keen for an alliance. Once it is done, we would be speaking to other parties in Tamil Nadu for a broader alliance before next assembly polls,” a senior BJP leader said, requesting anonymity.

AIADMK leaders aware of the talks said there was an “in-principle” agreement for an alliance to take on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led grouping, which swept the Lok Sabha polls last summer.

“The discussions have just started. If it goes through it will be an AIADMK led NDA bloc like last time,” an AIADMK leader close to Palaniswami said, requesting anonymity.

There was no official statement from either side on what transpired at the meeting, held at Shah’s residence in the national capital.

Leaders cited above said the meeting was precipitated by recent events in Tamil Nadu such as the ruling DMK emerging as the leader of the anti-BJP front that has taken on the Centre on issues such as the proposed delimitation exercise and the three-language formula.

“There is already (a coalition of opposition parties) the INDIA bloc, but after the meeting of seven states that was called by (TN chief minister) MK Stalin (to discuss delimitation), the opposition’s coalition on the ground in the state will be more challenging for both the BJP and the AIADMK if they go alone,” the BJP leader cited above said.

Several BJP leaders in the state said there is a positive mood among the cadre to unite with anti-DMK forces, especially the old ally, the AIADMK.

“There is a section (of cadre) both in the BJP and the AIADMK that has been pushing for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to regroup, particularly after the 2024 general elections. Both the BJP and the AIADMK would have performed better had the causes for the split been addressed,” a second BJP functionary said, also declining to be named.

In the 2024 general elections, the DMK-led alliance swept all 39 LS seats in Tamil Nadu, while the BJP and the AIADMK — which parted ways in September 2023 — failed to open their accounts.

According to the functionaries quoted above, although the parties parted ways, channels of communication between the leaders were kept open. The BJP also reached out to its old ally AIADMK to support the bills for one nation, one election in Parliament — (the TN party has four members in the Rajya Sabha and it has not opposed the bills).

“After the split, both sides felt that a united NDA would have been a formidable opponent to the DMK. Now, there is widespread anger on the ground against the state government over a host of issues from corruption to law-and-order deficiencies. The time is just right for an alliance to take shape against the DMK, and this has been conveyed to the party high command,” the second leader quoted above said.

At present, the NDA comprises the BJP and the PMK (Pattali Makkal Katchi) headed by Anbumani Ramadoss.

In the 2021 state polls, the DMK won 133 of the 234 assembly seats, while the AIADMK’s tally fell from 136 to 66. The BJP and the PMK won four and five seats, respectively.