Overview

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah told a Tamil daily that the National Democratic Alliance will form Tamil Nadu’s government after the 2026 assembly elections and that the BJP will join as a coalition partner.
• Shah affirmed that the chief ministerial candidate will come from the AIADMK, although he did not explicitly name Edappadi K Palaniswami.
• AIADMK spokesperson C Vaigaichelvan dismissed the prospect of a formal coalition government in Tamil Nadu, noting that voters have traditionally rejected such arrangements.
• Shah announced that former state BJP chief K Annamalai will take on national responsibilities in the BJP while remaining active in Tamil Nadu politics.
• The BJP and AIADMK revived their NDA alliance in April 2025 after splitting in 2023 and contesting the 2024 general election separately.