CHENNAI: The BJP appears to have gained an early edge in alliance negotiations with the AIADMK, with the first round of talks indicating broad convergence on expanding the NDA in Tamil Nadu ahead of the high-stakes 2026 Assembly elections.
Sources said the detailed discussions that Union Minister and BJP's election in-charge for Tamil Nadu, Piyush Goyal, held with AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and senior leaders focused on strengthening and expanding the NDA by bringing together "friendly parties" – not only PMK and DMDK, but even EPS’s rivals O Panneerselvam group and AMMK.
If sources are to be believed, the AIADMK leadership has conveyed its in-principle openness to accommodating OPS and AMMK founder TTV Dhinakaran within the NDA framework to consolidate anti-DMK votes.
"The meeting was largely exploratory, but several approvals were received. There was an acceptance that a wider NDA is necessary to face the 2026 battle," a senior leader told DT Next, adding that formal conclusions would follow in subsequent rounds.
The leaders also reviewed the evolving political scenario, including the potential impact of Vijay's TVK, which both view as a possible 'spoilsport' that could fragment votes. Strategies were discussed to consolidate anti-incumbency sentiment and channel it decisively in favour of the NDA.
Dismissing speculation that the BJP had already placed a demand for a higher number of seats, a senior BJP functionary said seat-sharing was not discussed in detail and added that such discussions would take place only after the alliance structure is finalised. "Our vote share has grown since 2021, and naturally, expectations will be reviewed. But numbers were not discussed today," the leader said.
The meeting was attended by AIADMK leaders KP Munusamy, SP Velumani, P Thangamani and Dindigul C Sreenivasan, and BJP leaders Arjun Ram Meghwal, L Murugan, Arvind Menon, Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, and State president Nainar Nagenthran.
Goyal and Meghwal also attended the BJP's core committee meeting at Kamalalayam, where internal organisational matters and the State's political situation were reviewed. Addressing reporters, Goyal said he was enlightened by the discussions with EPS and expressed confidence that the NDA, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EPS's leadership, would secure a sweeping victory in 2026.