Days after alliance, AIADMK rules out power sharing with BJP in Tamil Nadu

Days after stitching an electoral alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of a coalition government in the state if the alliance wins the 2026 assembly elections.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said Union Minister Amit Shah had never said that there would be an AIADMK-BJP coalition government in Tamil Nadu.

"He did not say that (a coalition government)," Palaniswami said, adding that the media had misunderstood the relevant issue. 

Palaniswami said Shah had also made it categorical that the alliance would be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the national level and in Tamil Nadu, it would be helmed by him.

Nearly two years after parting ways, the AIADMK and BJP rekindled their alliance on April 11.

While announcing the tie-up in Chennai, Amit Shah declared that the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election will be fought under the leadership of Palaniswami.

"We will form a government together led by Edappadi Palaniswami," he had said. 

AIADMK walked out of the NDA in 2023 after accusing then BJP state chief K. Annamalai of deliberately defaming its present and past leaders including former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.

Annamalai stepped down from his post hours before the two parties joined hands again, with reports suggesting that his removal from the key post was a pre-condition set by the AIADMK for the alliance.

The BJP has appointed senior leader Nainar Nagenthran as its new state president.