CHENNAI: In a significant political shift ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is preparing to recalibrate its strategy in the state, placing its trust in seasoned leader Nainar Nagenthran to lead the charge.
Known for his grassroots organisational skills and his ability to foster cooperation among alliance partners, Nagenthran is set to become a pivotal figure in the BJP's electoral playbook for Tamil Nadu.
Highly placed sources in the party revealed that Nagenthran's recent visit to New Delhi involved high-level meetings with key national leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and BJP national president JP Nadda.
"While meetings with Modi and Nadda were described as largely courtesy calls, discussions with Shah and Sitharaman were of strategic significance. Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman held extended meetings with Nagenthran to discuss the BJP's future course of action in Tamil Nadu,” a senior party leader told DT Next on the condition of anonymity.
"The focus was particularly on the party's relationship with the AIADMK, which currently leads the NDA alliance in the state. A detailed roadmap was discussed, and Nagenthran has been instructed to implement it with precision," the leader said.
In a bid to counter the numerically strong DMK-led alliance, the BJP, under Shah's directive, is reportedly exploring the expansion of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) by bringing in new political players.
Notably, discussions are under way with Seeman's Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) and actor Vijay's recently launched Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), along with a few smaller regional outfits, highly placed sources said.
"Our leadership is actively engaging in multi-channel talks with various political entities, " said another senior BJP functionary.
"The idea is to forge a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) that will accommodate ideologically diverse parties under the single goal of unseating the DMK. As part of this strategy, both BJP and AIADMK leaders are holding exploratory discussions with Seeman and Vijay's aides. While the alliance's final shape will be revealed closer to the elections, preliminary rounds have progressed significantly,” the leader said.
Speaking to DT Next, BJP's national co-in-charge for Tamil Nadu, Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, confirmed that the party is open to welcoming any political outfit willing to work under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.
"The NDA in Tamil Nadu operates under the leadership of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, and nationally under PM Modi. Any party that respects this leadership is welcome to join," he said.
When asked about the possibility of expanding the NDA, Reddy was cautious.
"I cannot comment on ongoing talks, but the high command, in consultation with state leaders, will decide at the appropriate time. Our main objective is to expose the corruption and anti-people policies of the DMK's dynastic regime," Sudhakar Reddy added.
Interestingly, BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran appeared to downplay the alliance speculations.
When approached for comments, he said he was unaware of any discussions involving TVK or NTK.
"I do not know such developments," he stated, refusing to elaborate further.
Meanwhile, party insiders indicated that AIADMK itself is in parallel discussions with several regional parties to fortify the NDA bloc, underscoring a larger, coordinated effort to present a united opposition against the ruling DMK in 2026.