Amit Shah, Palaniswami contradict each other on NDA government in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Union Home Minister Amit Shah and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami have publicly contradicted each other on whether it will be a coalition government, or a single-party dispensation will be formed if the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was to win the 2026 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

On Sunday, just a few hours apart, Shah, who is visiting Tamil Nadu, said the NDA will form the government, while Palaniswami reiterated that the AIADMK will form a majority government on its own. This brings to fore the persisting differences between the two major partners of the NDA, which is already struggling to expand even as PMK and DMDK dither on joining the alliance.

It is also interesting that Palaniswami did not meet Shah citing his prior engagements, triggering speculation of differences between the two parties. However, Palaniswami’s confidante and senior AIADMK leader S P Velumani met Shah in Tiruchirappalli on Sunday night and again Monday morning for discussions on alliance.

“The two parties are discussing expanding the NDA. They are also discussing the number of seats the constituents will contest. These are initial discussions,” a source told DH. BJP has been insisting that the AIADMK share power with alliance partners, but the Dravidian major has been non-committal and continues to contradict the saffron party.

The AIADMK has been insisting that the party should contest in about 170 seats while leaving 64 seats for alliance partners. “While the broad contours of seat-sharing will be decided by Shah, the actual numbers will be decided by Union Minister and election in-charge Piyush Goyal,” the source added.

On Monday, as Shah celebrated Pongal in Tiruchirappalli, just 50 kms away in Thanjavur, BJP’s former ally AMMK’s T T V Dhinakaran dropped ample hints of joining the alliance being stitched by actor and Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK). Dhinakaran is upset with the BJP for cold-shouldering him after the party revived its alliance with the AIADMK in April 2025.

Another former ally, OPS, is also moving towards Vijay – the developments are likely to hurt the NDA, especially in Central and Southern parts of the state where TTV and OPS hold significant influence among Mukulathors, the community to which TTV and OPS belong, who are upset with the AIADMK ever since the death of J Jayalalithaa in 2016.

It is learnt that Shah is upset with the TN BJP leadership for letting OPS and TTV quit the NDA. “We are still in talks with TTV and OPS. But both seem to have made up their mind to join Vijay. If they finally decide to join Vijay, we may have to battle the perception that we are not a winning alliance,” a BJP leader said.

The leader added that the public contradiction on the composition of the government to be formed has added to the woes of the NDA with leaders of both parties sticking to their known stands. Functionaries and supporters of AIADMK and BJP clashed with each other on social media on comments made by Shah and Palaniswami.