Talks by the BJP to forge an alliance with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) are said to be creating fresh buzz in Tamil Nadu politics ahead of the Assembly election.
The DMK has already stitched together a mega front with 23 parties, and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam has joined the DMK along with his supporters. The Congress, which was earlier seen as exploring options involving TVK, has also stayed within the DMK-led alliance.
On the other side, the AIADMK alliance is currently seen as lacking major additions beyond the PMK and the BJP, and it has not been able to bring the DMDK back into its fold after the 2024 Lok Sabha election. With the DMK–Congress tie-up firmed up on March 5, the BJP leadership is said to have concluded that the NDA must be strengthened to take on the DMK front.
According to a BJP functionary quoted in the report, Union Minister Amit Shah has been stressing the need to unite anti-DMK forces, and is keen on bringing TVK into the alliance after recent shifts in the political landscape. However, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami is said to be reluctant, repeatedly asserting that the AIADMK will form the government on its own and that he will be Chief Minister.
The report adds that because talks with TVK are ongoing, seat-sharing discussions within the AIADMK alliance—among the BJP, PMK and other partners—have not yet begun.
