Chennai – In preparation for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) have commenced seat-sharing negotiations. Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, recently appointed as the BJP's election in-charge for Tamil Nadu, met with AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) to initiate discussions.
The meeting, held in Chennai on December 23, 2025, signals the formal beginning of alliance talks between the two parties. Goyal's appointment and subsequent meeting with Palaniswami underscore the BJP's commitment to strengthening its alliance with the AIADMK and strategizing for the upcoming elections. Goyal previously managed alliance negotiations between the BJP and AIADMK.
Following the meeting, Goyal conveyed the NDA's commitment to providing a development-focused government for Tamil Nadu, emphasizing improvements for women, youth, farmers, fishermen, industries, and traders. He also attacked the current DMK regime, stating that Tamil Nadu has suffered under its "corrupt" rule. Palaniswami echoed this sentiment, expressing confidence that the AIADMK-BJP alliance, along with other NDA partners, would successfully remove the DMK from power in 2026.
The AIADMK delegation at the meeting included senior leaders and former Ministers K.P. Munusamy, S.P. Velumani, Dindigul C. Sreenivasan, and P. Thangamani. Goyal was accompanied by Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, BJP State Chief Nainar Nagenthran, and Tamil Nadu in-charge Dr. P Sudhakar Reddy.
Sources suggest that the AIADMK is looking to contest a majority of the seats, potentially 170 out of the total 234, while earmarking 23 seats for the BJP. The AIADMK has also commenced the distribution of applications for party ticket aspirants. Nainar Nagenthran has dismissed reports of a finalized list of constituencies for the BJP as premature, emphasizing that the political landscape is subject to change. He affirmed that the AIADMK remains the BJP's primary ally and that efforts are underway to expand the NDA in Tamil Nadu.
Before meeting with AIADMK leaders, Goyal attended a meeting at the BJP state headquarters in Chennai, with the participation of former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and BJP Mahila Morcha national president Vanathi Srinivasan. Goyal also met with Governor R.N. Ravi.
The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections are crucial for both the BJP and the AIADMK. The outcome will likely depend on the success of their alliance, seat-sharing arrangement, and ability to connect with voters on key issues such as development, governance, and social welfare.
