The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has intensified its groundwork in Tamil Nadu ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, focusing on reshaping the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and expanding its reach through strategic tie-ups with smaller regional parties. Party strategists believe this is crucial to consolidating the growing anti-DMK sentiment across the state.
According to sources, senior BJP leaders, including election in-charge Jay Panda and co-in-charge Murlidhar Mohol, recently visited Tamil Nadu to hold in-depth discussions with state leaders and key allies, including members of the AIADMK. Their agenda centered on building a united opposition front under the NDA umbrella that could challenge the ruling DMK in the 2026 polls.
Insiders revealed that the BJP’s internal assessments indicate actor Thalapathy Vijay’s newly formed party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), commands nearly 20 percent of the state’s vote share, with about 60 percent of those votes being anti-NDA. BJP strategists are therefore working to devise a counterstrategy aimed at preventing TVK from eating into the anti-DMK vote base.
At the same time, internal rifts have begun to surface within the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), one of the key NDA allies in the state. Senior leader Dr. S. Ramadoss reportedly remains inclined to stay with the NDA, while his son, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, is said to be evaluating a more neutral stance or even a potential alignment with Vijay’s TVK.
Meanwhile, political observers anticipate a major reshuffle in Tamil Nadu’s opposition landscape by November. The three AIADMK factions — led respectively by O. Panneerselvam (OPS), V.K. Sasikala, and T.T.V. Dhinakaran — are expected to announce their future political course, which could significantly impact the overall composition of the opposition camp.
Despite ongoing efforts, friction persists within the NDA regarding the possible inclusion of expelled AIADMK leaders. According to sources, during a recent high-level meeting in Delhi, AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) expressed his reservations directly to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, warning that reintroducing ousted leaders might disrupt party unity and harm the coalition’s credibility.
From next month, the BJP and AIADMK are expected to launch a joint statewide campaign targeting the DMK government. The campaign will focus on issues such as rising prices, power shortages, corruption allegations, and farmers’ grievances — themes designed to resonate with voters frustrated by the DMK’s governance.
For the BJP, the larger goal is clear — to consolidate anti-DMK forces and prevent fragmentation of the opposition vote by bringing smaller, issue-based parties under the NDA fold. However, persuading the AIADMK leadership to accept a broader coalition remains a key challenge. Party insiders say that the BJP’s Tamil Nadu core team will continue discussions through October to finalize alliance decisions before the end of the year.
