NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, APR 11
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday declared that the BJP and AIADMK will fight under the leadership of AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami for the upcoming election.
Live from press conference in Chennai.
https://t.co/a2tkfcE0Bo— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 11, 2025
While announcing the poll alliance, Shah said that it would be Narendra Modi’s leadership at the Centre and Palaniswami at the state level.
- Annamalai makes way for Nainar Nagendran as state chief of BJP
- The BJP-AIADMK alliance for the upcoming 2026 election will be led under the leadership of Edappadi K. Palaniswami
- ‘BJP will leverage Annamalai’s organisational skills in party’s national framework’: Amit Shah
“AIADMK and BJP have decided to fight next (year’s) polls…from 1998, AIADMK has been part of BJP alliance (at different points of time). PM Modi and late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had worked for Centre-state ties,” Shah told a press conference, flanked by Palaniswami and outgoing BJP TN chief K Annamalai, here.
“We will form a government together led by Edappadi Palaniswami,” he said, indicating it would be a coalition government should the NDA win.
He exuded confidence that the NDA will get a solid mandate and form a government.
On AIADMK’s divergent stand on certain issues, Shah said will sit and discuss. There will be a Common Minimum Programme if required.
He also slammed the ruling DMK in the state, alleging it was raking up issues like Sanatan Dharma, 3-language policy and delimitation with the sole intention to take attention away from key issues.
People were demanding answers from the ruling dispensation over a number of ‘scams,’ and they would vote on genuine issues, Shah said.
The seats and the distribution of ministries after the government is formed would be decided later, said Shah.
In a post on X, Amit Shah said, “The Tamil Nadu BJP has received a nomination for the post of state president only from Shri @NainarBJP Ji. As the President of the Tamil Nadu BJP unit, Shri @annamalai_k Ji has made commendable accomplishments. Whether it is carrying the policies of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji to people or the programs of the party from village to village, Annamalai Ji’s contribution has been unprecedented. The BJP will leverage Annamalai Ji’s organisational skills in the party’s national framework.” On April 4, K Annamalai announced that he was “not in the race” to become the next state unit chief.
BJP has elected Nainar Nagendran as the president of the Tamil Nadu unit. Nagendran will take over as the 13th president of the Tamil Nadu BJP succeeding K. Annamalai. Notably, Nagendran was the only contender in the race.
With Nagendran’s caste, region and background with the AIADMK, he is likely to act as a catalyst for the BJP-AIADMK alliance.
Nagendran’s name was proposed by Annamalai, Union Minister L. Murugan, former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, and BJP legislator and Mahila Morcha President Vanathi Srinivasan. He is currently the state vice president.
Shah at the press conference on Friday said that AIADMK had no conditions and demands and will not interfere in the internal matters of the AIADMK.
AIADMK walked out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2023. The AIADMK had accused then Annamalai of deliberately defaming its present and past leaders including former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.
