AIADMK keeps its options open for alliance with BJP, TVK, and NTK

The AIADMK, which has realised that it needs to tie up with parties of considerable — if not, substantial — following to succeed in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, appears to be keeping its options open for an alliance with parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) 

The AIADMK, which has realised that it needs to tie up with parties of considerable — if not, substantial — following to succeed in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, appears to be keeping its options open for an alliance with parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) 

As of now, the party has not entered into an electoral deal with any of these parties, even though it has been maintaining that there is still time for the organisation to firm up any arrangement with other parties. The talk of alliance involving the Dravidian major and the BJP has acquired momentum after the former’s general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, accompanied by a group of senior colleagues, met Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah in New Delhi last week.  

Though informal discussions with the TVK and the NTK have not yet yielded any tangible result, the AIADMK is not inclined to rule out the possibility of aligning itself with either of them, or even both of them, according to a cross section of functionaries of the party. In certain circles, Mr. Palaniswami’s decision to meet Mr. Shah is being viewed as a tactic of the AIADMK leader to improve his party’s bargaining position vis-a-vis others. 

Apparently, the BJP’s leadership has sensed the “keenness” of the AIADMK to strike a deal with the TVK. It is to “prevent” any such coming-together that Mr. Shah has initiated the alliance talk with the AIADMK, the latter’s functionaries contend. The Union Minister, at a recent event in New Delhi, went on record, stating the negotiations had begun, and that when the alliance fructified, it would be announced.

Meanwhile, the party is cautiously watching the movement of one of its senior leaders and former Minister, K.A. Sengottaiyan, who is said to have met Mr. Shah and Union Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman last week. So far, Mr. Sengottaiyan has not denied reports in sections of the media to this effect. The functionaries, conceding that some differences of opinion have arisen between the former Minister and the party general secretary over organisational matters in the Erode district [to which Mr. Sengottaiyan belongs], are, however, confident that the issue will blow over. 

A long-standing office bearer of the AIADMK says the former Minister knows very well that he would not like to meet the “fate” that former coordinator of the party O. Panneerselvam has “suffered.”