In a significant political development in Chennai, the state leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has confirmed that a seat-sharing agreement with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) for the upcoming assembly elections has been successfully finalised. The announcement came after a high-level meeting between the two allies.
High-Stakes Meeting at EPS Residence
Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagenthran met AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) at the latter's Chennai residence on Friday. This crucial discussion took place just a day after EPS returned from the national capital, where he had held talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The back-to-back meetings underscore the intense negotiations underway to solidify the opposition front in the state.
Emerging from the meeting, Nagenthran addressed the media, declaring that the seat-sharing arrangement between the two parties had been concluded amicably. "The talks were completed in an amicable manner," he stated. However, he strategically withheld the specific number of assembly constituencies that the AIADMK has allotted to the BJP, promising that "We will share that information later." This move is seen as an effort to manage internal expectations and maintain negotiating leverage with other potential allies.
Planning for Prime Minister's Campaign Blitz
Beyond seat distribution, a major agenda of the meeting was to chart the course for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's impending visit to Tamil Nadu for election campaigning. Nagenthran revealed that the discussions with EPS centred on this high-profile tour. "We held talks regarding the PM's visit and also discussed whether it should be organised in Madurai or Chennai," the BJP state president said.
He indicated that the Prime Minister is expected to visit toward the end of this month, although the final date remains unconfirmed. The choice between Madurai, a cultural and political hub in southern Tamil Nadu, and the capital Chennai is a strategic one, aimed at maximising the campaign's reach and impact across different regions of the state.
Outreach to DMDK and Final Seat Numbers
Later on Friday, while speaking to reporters in Coimbatore, Nainar Nagenthran extended an olive branch to another regional player, the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK). He expressed hope that the DMDK, led by Vijayakanth, would join the AIADMK-BJP alliance to strengthen the coalition. "But it is up to them to take a decision," he added, leaving the door open for further negotiations.
On the pivotal question of the exact number of seats the BJP will contest, Nagenthran clarified that the final decision would be made in close consultation with EPS. This statement confirms that while the broad agreement is in place, some fine-tuning regarding constituency selection is still ongoing. The alliance is working to present a united front to challenge the ruling DMK in what is anticipated to be a fiercely contested election.
