Chennai: With the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections approaching in the coming months, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has once again joined hands with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in a renewed attempt to challenge the ruling DMK-Congress alliance led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
The BJP is now working to build a broader NDA front in the southern state by bringing several smaller regional parties under its umbrella. The party hopes that a strong coalition, supported by AIADMK’s traditional vote base, will help it make significant gains and possibly dethrone the DMK from power.
However, the BJP-AIADMK partnership is far from a smooth or stable one. Over the last three decades, their alliance has been marked by repeated breakups, mistrust, political calculations, and sudden reunions—making it one of the most unpredictable political relationships in Tamil Nadu.
A Strategic Alliance Against DMK
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have recently intensified their political campaigns in Tamil Nadu, directly targeting the DMK government. BJP leaders have accused the ruling party of corruption, crime, and promoting dynastic politics, while claiming that DMK has slowed the state’s development.
This time, BJP is placing its hopes on AIADMK to create a powerful anti-DMK platform, especially in a state where the saffron party has traditionally struggled to emerge as a major independent force.
A 30-Year Alliance Built on Political Mathematics
The BJP-AIADMK relationship has largely been shaped by political necessity rather than ideology. The partnership dates back to the late 1990s, when AIADMK’s support played a key role in enabling Atal Bihari Vajpayee to become Prime Minister after the 1998 Lok Sabha elections.
But the alliance soon faced its first major rupture in 1999, when AIADMK leader J. Jayalalithaa withdrew support from the NDA government, causing Vajpayee’s administration to collapse by just one vote. This led to mid-term elections and marked one of the most dramatic moments in India’s coalition politics.
From Jayalalithaa to EPS: Shifting Dynamics
After Jayalalithaa’s death, AIADMK entered a phase of intense internal conflict and factionalism. Several leaders, including Sasikala’s family, O. Panneerselvam, and Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), emerged as key contenders for power.
During this turbulent period, AIADMK continued to extend policy-based support to the Modi-led central government. Eventually, this informal understanding turned into a formal electoral alliance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Electoral Setbacks and Political Recalculations
The 2019 experiment ended in a crushing defeat. The AIADMK-BJP alliance lost 39 out of 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, exposing the limitations of the coalition against the powerful DMK-led front.
Despite the setback, both parties continued their alliance into the 2021 Assembly elections, but the results once again went in favour of the DMK. AIADMK won 66 seats, while BJP managed to secure only four seats. DMK returned to power under Stalin, strengthening its grip over state politics.
Alliance Breaks in 2024, Returns for 2026
Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, AIADMK and BJP decided to contest separately, highlighting deep internal tensions and lack of trust between the two parties.
However, after the Lok Sabha results and with the 2026 Assembly elections drawing near, both parties returned to the negotiation table. The BJP reportedly accepted AIADMK’s condition to replace state BJP chief K. Annamalai, appointing Nainar Nagendran in his place. This move is seen as an attempt to ensure alliance stability, though reports suggest Annamalai remains unhappy with the decision.
A New Factor: Actor Vijay Enters the Political Arena
The 2026 election is expected to be more complex than previous contests, as Tamil Nadu politics is now evolving into a triangular battle. Popular actor Vijay has entered the political field with his party TVK, raising questions about vote division and shifting loyalties.
Political analysts believe that the impact of Vijay’s party could play a decisive role in determining whether the AIADMK-BJP alliance can weaken DMK’s hold, or whether it may end up benefiting the ruling party by splitting opposition votes.
Will 2026 Be Different?
While BJP and AIADMK are projecting confidence and aiming for a major comeback, the history of their alliance suggests that their partnership has always been fragile and driven by electoral calculations.
Now, with renewed coordination, a changed BJP leadership in the state, and a shifting political landscape, the big question remains: Will this reunion finally deliver victory, or will Tamil Nadu once again reject the alliance at the ballot box?
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