Palaniswami-Amit Shah meeting in Delhi signals likely revival of BJP-AIADMK ties

AIADMK's Edappadi K. Palaniswami meets with Amit Shah, hinting at potential alliance revival ahead of Tamil Nadu elections.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami met with Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah at the latter’s residence in New Delhi on Tuesday (March 25, 2025) night, signalling the potential revival of ties between the two parties ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. For the record, though, Mr. Palaniswami handed over a memorandum to the Home Minister in which he raised the issue of delimitation and also complained about the “deteriorating” law and order situation.

The AIADMK had exited the BJP-led NDA in September 2023, accusing the State BJP leadership of deliberately and maliciously defaming AIADMK’s icons, former Chief Ministers C.N. Annadurai and J. Jayalalithaa, and criticising its policies.

Mr. Palaniswami had earlier in the day visited the AIADMK’s new office in the capital. In the evening, senior AIADMK leader Thambi Durai first went to Mr. Shah’s residence and thereafter, Mr. Palaniswami joined them. While no other BJP leader was present, a few senior AIADMK leaders had reportedly accompanied Mr. Palaniswami.

Speaking to the reporters before the meeting took place, BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai, who was in Chennai, said, “The ultimate objective of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is to unseat DMK from power and any political party which is resolved to do so can join the alliance. The NDA will expand and more parties are likely to join the alliance.”

The meeting between the two sides comes at a time when AIADMK’s efforts to form a large alliance after severing ties with the BJP have faltered. The ruling DMK has successfully retained its coalition, further complicating AIADMK’s position. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the AIADMK failed to retain deposits in seven constituencies and finished in third place in several others.

It remains unclear whether Mr. Palaniswami has set any conditions regarding Mr. Annamalai’s role in future alliance talks, or if he would continue to exclude expelled leaders O. Panneerselvam and TTV Dhinakaran from the fold. It is also uncertain whether Mr. Shah will attempt to reunite the various factions within the party.

In the morning, TMC leader G K Vasan had interacted with Mr. Shah in the parliament.