Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Piyush Goyal held talks with All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leaders on Tuesday, kickstarting seat-sharing discussions for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls. While leaders maintained that seat-sharing was not discussed, the BJP is likely to demand more seats than in the 2021 assembly polls this time.
Goyal was accompanied by the BJP co-in-charge for Tamil Nadu polls, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, party's state chief Nainar Nagenthran, TN in-charge Dr P. Sudhakar Reddy, and Union Minister L. Murugan. From AIADMK, apart from Palaniswami, senior leaders K.P. Munusamy, S.P. Velumani, and P. Thangamani.
Talking to reporters, Goyal said, "We had good discussions about strengthening our political work together and fighting the 2026 assembly election together as the NDA family under the leadership and guidance of PM Modi."
"Tamil Nadu has suffered under the corrupt regime of the DMK. It is important for people of Tamil Nadu to get good governance, a government which is development-focused and provides for a better future for our Tamil brothers and sisters, which is the commitment of the NDA, PM Modi and our leader Palaniswami," he added.
Denying seat-sharing talks, Palaniswami said, "People of the state are agitated over the DMK regime; our alliance parties will work together and throw out the DMK."
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BJP Tamil Nadu president Nainar Nagenthran, while maintaining that no seat-sharing talks were held, added, "Our initial talks were on the prevailing political situation. We are ready for the poll."
Elections to the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly are due next year, and the BJP is aiming to form a stronger alliance in the state, by bringing in former AIADMK leaders O. Panneerselvam and T.T.V. Dhinakaran into the fold. The alliance is also keen on bringing in actor Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) into the alliance.
While Palaniswami is keen on forming an alliance with TVK, the former chief minister doesn't want rebel AIADMK factions as part of NDA in the state. According to reports, the AIADMK is mulling contesting from 170 seats, 23 seats each for the BJP and PMK, and six seats for other smaller parties in the alliance.