AIADMK, BJP team up in Tamil Nadu: EPS thanks PM Modi, Congress calls it ‘forced’ alliance

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami took to social media platform X to express gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji "for his unwavering support" to the party.

His statement came a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the AIADMK will contest the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly Election in an alliance.

"We are honoured to be welcomed into a partnership with NDA [National Democratic Alliance]. An alliance founded on a shared vision for Tamil Nadu’s progress and prosperity," Palaniswami wrote in a post on X.

He said, "At this pivotal moment, with visionary guidance of Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, AIADMK will work closely with NDA allies to realise the aspirations of the people and contribute to his transformative vision."

Sharing hashtag "#MakeTNProsperousAgain", Palaniswami said, "Together, we are committed to building a greater Tamil Nadu—one free from dynastic politics, corruption, and misgovernance."

"The people of Tamil Nadu deserve a transparent, development-focused government—and we are determined to deliver it in the upcoming Assembly elections," Palaniswami said.

BJP-AIADMK tie-up in Tamil Nadu

After breaking away from the BJP-led NDA in September 2023 over certain comments made by then Tamil Nadu chief Annamalai, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is back in the fold.

Union Minister Amit Shah announced on Friday that the BJP would be contesting the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections in alliance with the regional party under the banner of NDA.

“The AIADMK has no conditions and demands... We will have no interference in the internal matters of the AIADMK... This alliance is going to be beneficial to both NDA and AIADMK...",” Amit Shah said.

Shah said the elections will be fought under the leadership of former Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K Palaniswami. Interestingly, Annamalai, over whose comments the AIADMK had snapped ties with the BJP back in 2023, was also present during the announcement.

Congress, DMK react

On the BJP-AIADMK alliance, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said, "They are independent political parties. They are free to announce and take decisions."

"The AIADMK, at one point of time, was with the BJP. Then they realised that the BJP was a drag which was pulling them down in Tamil Nadu. So, they broke the alliance. They have now come back into the alliance," Chidambaram said.

He called the AIADMK "a greatly diminished party".

"There were days when people went to the AIADMK to have an alliance. It has now changed and the AIADMK has to come to Delhi to make alliances," he said while taking a dig at the BJP.

"...the BJP is not necessarily the most welcome party in Tamil Nadu. Their politics is not accepted by the people of Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK realised this earlier but now they have been forced to have an alliance with them...Edappadi Palaniswami had led the AIADMK formation for three elections after he became the CM and he has lost all three elections...," Karti Chidambaram said.

Meanwhile, DMK MP Kanimozhi said, "They [AIADMK] were in an alliance with the BJP. But after the BJP insulted their leaders, he [Edappadi Palaniswami] announced that they would never be in an alliance with the BJP."

"But today, we saw him silently watching the Union Home Minister announcing the alliance... He did not even get a chance to say a word... Now we know who would be leading the alliance and who would be forced to follow...," Kanimozhi said.