Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Friday that the BJP and E Palaniswami-led AIADMK will contest the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections in alliance as part of the NDA.
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00:00Good evening, you're watching To The Point. I'm Preeti Chaudhary.
00:02The big development today. Finally, after days of deliberation, it's happened.
00:08Tamil Nadu has a new political alliance.
00:10The state of war in Tamil Nadu is only but heating up one year before elections.
00:15We were speculations around what was a potential BJP-AIDMK alliance
00:20and now which has been inked for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
00:24Union Home Minister Amit Shah, currently in Chennai, confirmed that the AIDMK and the BJP
00:31will contest the 2026 Assembly elections together as part of the NDA alliance.
00:38While addressing a joint gathering of BJP and AIDMK leaders, Shah stated that the elections will be led nationally
00:45by Prime Minister Modi and in Tamil Nadu by Ederpadi K. Palaniswami and the AIDMK.
00:51Shah also launched a scathing attack on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin,
00:56accusing the DMK government of being involved in multiple scams,
00:59including what he alleged was a liquor and cash for jobs scandal.
01:21This is the K.K.
01:22This is the K.K.
01:26Okay, we will know you guys,
01:36that's why you suddenly came to me and I got to know you guys,
01:43рдХреЗрдбрд╝рд╛ рдкрд╛рдбреА рдЬреА рдХреЗ рдиреЗрддреНрд░реВрддреЛрдВ рдореЗрдВ рд▓рдбрд╝рд╛ рдЬрд╛рдПрдЧрд╛ рдПрдХ рдкреНрд░рдХрд╛рд░ рд╕реЗ 1998 рд╕реЗ AIDM рдХреЗ NDA рдЧрдард╡рдиреНрджрди рдХрд╛ рд╣рд┐рд╕реНрд╕рд╛ рд╣реИ рдФрд░ рд▓рдВрдмреЗ рд╕рдордп рддрдХ рдореЛрджреА рдЬреА рдФрд░ рдорд╣рд╛рди рдЬреИрд▓рд▓рд┐рддрд╛ рдЬреА рдиреЗ рд╕рд╛рде рдореЗрдВ рдорд┐рд▓рдХрд░ рд░рд╛рд╖реНрдЯреНрд░рд┐рдп рд░рд╛рдзрдирд┐рддреА рдореЗрдВ рдХрд╛рдо рдХрд┐рдпрд╛ рд╣реИ
02:09рдЗрд╕ рдЬрд░рд╛рд╡реА рд╕рдЪ рдмрд╛рдд рдиреЗ рдЕрдЬ рднреА Aanna Malai, state president. That is why he is sitting with me.
02:39State President Nainar Nagindran.
02:41What happens to Anna Malai?
02:43Well, sitting right next to Amit Shah.
02:45Lots of questions and speculations there.
02:47So the questions that we asked this evening
02:49before we cut across to our guests.
02:51The BJP-AIDMK alliance of convenience.
02:54It's happened before.
02:55One thing is very clear.
02:56The BJP and AIDMK have been friends with benefits,
03:00nothing too permanent.
03:01And that has been witnessed in India's political history
03:04where Tamil Nadu was concerned.
03:07The AIDMK, the Lok Sabha elections went solo
03:10and now when it comes down to the state elections
03:12we'll be fighting in alliance with the BJP.
03:15That brings us to our second question.
03:17Will Anna Malai be accommodated at the centre?
03:19Because clearly both Mr. Ramit Shah and the Prime Minister,
03:24Mr. Narendra Modi, very, very fond of Anna Malai.
03:26He was collateral in the alliance coming together
03:31because it seemed, sources tell us,
03:33the AIDMK had put a condition to this alliance
03:36and that was that Anna Malai stepped down.
03:39Why so?
03:39Because we were able to remember
03:40how the alliance had fallen out as well.
03:43Was possibly the AIDMK very angry with Anna Malai
03:46for calling Jail Alitha corrupt.
03:48What happens to him now?
03:49Lots of speculation there.
03:50The third question that we ask,
03:52will Tamil Nadu now be a three-cornered contest?
03:54Why do I ask that question?
03:56Well, it does seem the AIDMK coming in with the BJP.
04:01That's one corner taken.
04:02The other corner, of course, the India Alliance,
04:04which you'll have the DMK and the Congress fighting in.
04:08Now, the third corner contest.
04:10Why?
04:10Because primarily you have actor Vijay,
04:13who is seen as one of the rising political stars in Tamil Nadu.
04:18And if recent surveys are to go by,
04:20he could be a force to contend with.
04:22So will Tamil Nadu now be a three-cornered contest?
04:26Let's take all these questions to our panelists this evening.
04:29Shekhar Iyer, senior journalist, joining me.
04:31Sumant Raman, political analyst, will be with us in just a short while.
04:35T.S. Sudhir, columnist and political analyst.
04:38T.S. Sudhir, let's begin with you.
04:39It was something that was speculated, but very much expected.
04:43Practically gone down to the T,
04:46where one thing was very clear that Anna Malai, you know,
04:50could have been the collateral in all of this,
04:52but still very, very close to the top BJP brass.
04:55Well, yes, I mean, I think the BJP has decided to move on from Anna Malai
05:01as far as Tamil Nadu political affairs are concerned.
05:04And I think that's the template that's going to play out over the next one year.
05:07Nainar Magidran is slated to become the next BJP chief.
05:11And that would be music to the AIDMK years
05:13because he comes from the AIDMK.
05:15So in that sense,
05:17the synergy between the AIDMK top leadership
05:20and the BJP unit in Tamil Nadu
05:22would expectantly be much better
05:25than it was under Anna Malai's leadership in Tamil Nadu before 2023.
05:30Having said that,
05:32why was this alliance so important?
05:34Obviously, the alliance was important
05:35because of what happened in 2024.
05:37Both the BJP and the AIDMK realized
05:39that fighting separately is only going to give
05:42the election on a platter to the DMK-led alliance.
05:45And therefore, they need to come together
05:46in order to ensure that at least on paper,
05:49one plus one becomes two.
05:51So the question is now whether the arithmetic will work
05:54and if the arithmetic will work,
05:55more importantly,
05:56whether the chemistry will work between the two parties.
05:58And that is, I think, the more important question,
06:01whether the cadre of the two parties
06:03and whether the voters in Tamil Nadu
06:05actually believe the AIDMK and the BJP.
06:08What Amir Shah said today in Chennai
06:10is that the two parties are there for the long haul.
06:13Whether the voters believe what the union home minister said,
06:16whether the cadre of the two parties also believe
06:19that it would make sense for them to transfer
06:21their votes to the other party,
06:23depending on which constituency gets which party's candidate.
06:26That's, I think, the election would largely depend on that
06:29because a lot is being made about how
06:31both the BJP and the AIDMK are very strong
06:34in the western part of Tamil Nadu.
06:36And therefore, it would be pretty much a walk in the park
06:38as far as the Kongu belt is concerned.
06:40My point is that whether a candidate,
06:45for example, of the AIDMK,
06:46who has nursed his or her constituency for years together,
06:49whether he or she will be willing to give it
06:51on a platter to the BJP
06:52and actually work for that party's candidate,
06:55a lot in this election will depend on
06:57whether this synergy actually happens
07:00on the ground in the summer of 2026.
07:03You know, Shikhar Raya,
07:04it was, like I said,
07:05we've debated it multiple times as a possibility.
07:08It was only, you know, a matter of time.
07:11But how do you think this alliance could play out?
07:15Because even on basic ideological issues,
07:17the AIDMK is standing against the BJP.
07:20Let's look at, you know, what's happened off late
07:21where, you know, that anti-VUK resolution was passed.
07:25You had the AIDMK standing with the DMK,
07:28be it on delimitation with the DMK,
07:31the two-language policy with the DMK.
07:33Well, Preeti, you know, they are coming together
07:38because they could be worse off without being together.
07:42That's one of the main reasons.
07:44Essentially, to prevent a split in opposition votes,
07:48because that would give,
07:50if that were to happen,
07:51DMK would have a complete sweep.
07:53DMK has been talking about 200 seats plus.
07:56And coincidentally,
07:58this today's development happened
07:59because Amit Shah decided to travel to Chennai
08:03and not return until this alliance is publicly announced.
08:07He reached there last night
08:09and throughout this day,
08:11there were, you know,
08:11his announcements were delayed,
08:13his press conference was delayed
08:14until they could manage EPS coming out
08:19to meet Amit Shah in his hotel.
08:22And then EPS in turn inviting Amit Shah
08:25to his residence for a high tea.
08:26You know, these are, these are,
08:29I would say, very symbolic,
08:31but they do convey a period
08:33of very difficult negotiations.
08:35And one main thing that is coming out today,
08:37as far as all these issues that have been mentioned,
08:39work bill, your three-language formula,
08:44new education policy,
08:46Amit Shah today announced, you know,
08:47they are going to go for a common minimum program.
08:50That's a very big development.
08:51And second thing is he repeatedly said
08:55the alliance would fight under the leadership of EPS.
08:59So EPS would be the chief minister's face.
09:01You know, that's another condition of EPS
09:04was that he should remain the face of this alliance.
09:07So the BJP has gone on for this agreement
09:09because they consider three states
09:12are very important in this next year.
09:14That is Bengal, Tabernod and Kerala.
09:17And these are the three states
09:18where the opposition is very strong.
09:20So they were willing to walk the extra mile
09:22to see that the three states,
09:24the ruling parties do not have it easy.
09:27Now, how difficult it is going to get for DMK?
09:29Well, there are internal thermoils in DMK.
09:31And coincidentally, today is a day
09:33Stalin had to sack
09:35one of his very powerful aid,
09:37Ponnimudi, as the deputy general secretary of DMK
09:39because he had made some sexist remarks
09:42which was objected to by Kadi Muri.
09:45And the person who has replaced Ponnimudi
09:49is Mr. Tirichi Siva
09:51who is not exactly in the Kadi Muri camp.
09:54He belongs to the other camp.
09:57So there are interesting things happening within DMK.
09:59While we are focused on BJP, ADNK,
10:02all these developments will bring pressure on Stalin
10:04on the alliance.
10:06And also there is one more development, Preeti.
10:07That is the turmoil in the Patalimakal Kachi
10:12between the father, Dr. Ramadhaas and his son,
10:15Dr. Anupamdi Ramadhaas, who was a union minister
10:18both in UPA and DMK.
10:20The father wants to go with DMK
10:21and the son wants to go with BJP-ADNK alliance.
10:24So there is a lot happening in Tamil Nadu.
10:26It's just not about BJP-ADNK alliance.
10:29Well, a lot happening
10:30and we're going to touch on every facet.
10:31The two other questions,
10:32we're going to come back and address,
10:34which is, of course, what comes of Anna Malai.
10:36And the other big one is,
10:38will it be a three-cornered contest,
10:40which at least seems poised as one.
10:42But Subantra, you know,
10:44you've always had one of the juiciest conspiracy theories
10:46in all of this,
10:48that this is all an attempt to let this election
10:50coming next year go by
10:51and ultimately cannibalize the AIDMK
10:54and take the position of the AIDMK
10:57in years to come
10:58where Tamil Nadu is concerned for the BJP.
11:01Look, even now,
11:04when I know it from sources in the AIDMK,
11:07they are still quite wary.
11:09They are going into this in good faith,
11:11but they are still wary
11:12of what the BJP's real intention is,
11:15which is why, you know,
11:17there was a press conference
11:18that was supposed to be at 12 o'clock.
11:19Two, three things are important points
11:21have been conceded by the BJP.
11:22One, that the AIDMK will lead the NDA in Tamil Nadu.
11:27Mr. EPS will be the chief ministerial face.
11:30And most importantly,
11:31also, the part which was allergic to Mr. EPS
11:35of readmitting OPS or TTV Dhinakaran
11:38or Shashikala into the party,
11:40Mr. Amit Shah made it clear,
11:41he said those are internal matters of the AIDMK.
11:44So, I think that those three are key demands for EPS.
11:49They have been conceded.
11:50Now, it is for the BJP.
11:52It is to see how the central government
11:54would turn the screws on the DMK government.
11:57Now, Mr. Amit Shah, you know,
11:59has been saying since yesterday,
12:01huge corruption, huge corruption.
12:03And the people quite honestly are asking him,
12:05what were you doing?
12:06What was the central agencies doing for so many years
12:08if this government has been so hugely corrupt?
12:10And I don't think for a moment anybody in Tamil Nadu believes the government is not corrupt.
12:15But the point is, what has the center been doing?
12:17Which is why the conspiracy theorists like me have been out in force,
12:22saying that nothing has been done,
12:24the screws have not been turned,
12:26and at best, you know,
12:28one or two sporadic enforcement directorate raids,
12:31followed by complete silence.
12:33So, now, in the next one year,
12:36are we going to see any action?
12:37Is the 2G appeal going to be speeded up by the prosecuting agency?
12:42Lots and lots of things.
12:43So, that's why I said, you know,
12:44my sources in the ADMK said,
12:47for today, they are cautiously optimistic,
12:50but they still do not have implicit trust in the BJP's intentions.
12:55All right.
12:56You know, I'll bring back Tia Sudhir into this conversation.
12:58And, you know, Tia Sudhir,
12:59the fact is this is going to be a three-cornered contest,
13:01but do you think this could have been the best case scenario for the DMK?
13:05Because the possibility of having actor Vijay along with the AIDMK,
13:08which at one point of time was contended with,
13:11could have been way worse.
13:12Of, you know, political fallout for the DMK.
13:16Well, actor Vijay and his TVK
13:18is pretty much of an untested electoral commodity in Tamil Nadu.
13:21So, we really do not know whether this one-man party
13:23would really be able to set Tamil Nadu's politics on fire.
13:26We, of course, saw the C voter survey
13:29which switched him at number two
13:31as far as the CM standings are concerned.
13:33But I wouldn't really make much of it.
13:35At this point in time,
13:36I think people generally vote for the party
13:39which has the best chance of coming to power in an election.
13:41And at this time,
13:43I don't think Vijay ticks all the boxes
13:45as far as that particular factor is concerned.
13:47But yes, for the AIDMK and the BJP,
13:49this was the best possibility, as I said earlier.
13:52For the DMK, now this makes it a more of a tight contest.
13:55They would realize that the two parties,
13:57if they are able to synergize better,
13:59they would put up a formidable challenge
14:01in many of the constituencies,
14:02especially in the southern part of Tamil Nadu
14:04and to an extent even in the northern part.
14:07So if that really happens,
14:09the DMK will have to get its Electoral Act,
14:11Political Act much together
14:13in many of the districts
14:14and many of the constituencies.
14:16They have one year to do that.
14:17But the fact that the BJP and the AIDMK
14:19have announced this one year in advance
14:21also shows that the NDA wants to ensure
14:24that they are as an alliance together
14:26for the next one year
14:27so that the people also realize
14:29that they are in it seriously.
14:32Of course, talks will also have to be conducted
14:34with the smaller parties.
14:35Shekhar mentioned the problems
14:37which are taking place in a smaller party
14:39like the PMK between the father and the son.
14:41Very ironic that the father actually
14:43undertook a coup of sorts,
14:45a political coup of sorts
14:46against his son Anbhumari Ramda.
14:48So all those problems
14:49will also have to be sorted out.
14:50So the BJP here trying to be more like
14:52some kind of a glue,
14:53trying to sort out problems
14:55while projecting Adhapadi Parani Swami
14:57as the leader.
14:58How this plays out
14:59and what would in case
15:01the NDA does not manage
15:02to unseat the DMK-led alliance
15:04in Tamil Nadu,
15:05what it would mean for the AI-DMK
15:07that would be very significant.
15:09And I think that's where
15:10the kind of conspiracy theorist
15:11Sumanth has been coming up
15:12would really come into play.
15:15Well, he's at least open about it.
15:17And Shekhar I have to pull you back
15:18into this conversation.
15:19Do you concur with T.A. Sudhir
15:21where he says, you know,
15:23actor Vijay untested right now.
15:25We don't know
15:26whether it's more hype than substance.
15:29Do you concur with that?
15:30Yeah, at this moment,
15:33you know,
15:34Vijay is, you know,
15:35foreign to politics
15:36at this juncture.
15:38And he's still not able
15:39to give his full time
15:40because there is one more film
15:41that's still under production
15:43that will probably release
15:44around Deepavali.
15:46And that's the time
15:46he will get free.
15:47But he has been holding
15:48party meetings.
15:49But the big conspiracy theory,
15:51Priti,
15:52which is being shared by
15:53that Vijay himself
15:55is a prop of the DMK
15:56to split the words.
15:57Because the film business
15:59in Tamil Nadu is such
16:00and the ruling family
16:02in DMK
16:02has a big hand
16:03in the film industry.
16:05So no actor,
16:06politician
16:07can actually get
16:08into electoral politics
16:10and Rajini Kaat
16:10had a similar problem.
16:12So there is a lot
16:13of stories about
16:13why actor Vijay,
16:15who is behind him,
16:16why has he come
16:17on the scene
16:17and whom is he benefiting
16:18actually by dividing
16:20the opposition votes.
16:22Well, so it's
16:23conspiracy theory
16:24after conspiracy theory.
16:25Yes, I know Mr. Raman,
16:26come in, come in,
16:27make your point.
16:27Yeah, yeah.
16:28Yeah, yeah.
16:28I mean, Vijay is
16:29jocularly referred to
16:31as a work-from-home politician
16:32because he doesn't seem
16:33to enjoy the rough
16:35and tumble of politics.
16:36So even when there
16:37were floods,
16:38the victims of the floods
16:39were taken to his house
16:40to receive relief material.
16:42So the joke about him
16:44is he's not really,
16:45you know,
16:46entered the fray
16:47full-fledged
16:47in terms of going out,
16:48meeting the people
16:49and so on.
16:50We don't know
16:50what, you know,
16:52what share he would carry.
16:54The other point
16:55is about the PMK
16:56and remember
16:58the BJP,
16:59the center
17:00has the index
17:01medical college case
17:02against Dr. Anbhumani Ramadas
17:03which is the CBI.
17:05So there is a way
17:06of concentrating
17:07Dr. Anbhumani's mind
17:08very well
17:09if they turn up
17:10the heat on that case.
17:12But all of these things
17:13are, you know,
17:14where we don't know
17:15what the BJP
17:16actually wants to do.
17:18So they have the,
17:19I mean,
17:20the way the agencies
17:20have gone after
17:21the leaders of
17:22Aam Army Party
17:23or the TMC
17:25or, you know,
17:27the JMM
17:27and so on.
17:28And here you,
17:29they've hardly been active
17:30in four years.
17:31So now there are
17:33going to be questions
17:34from the AIDMK
17:35if that lethargic
17:37approach continues,
17:39then the people
17:39would really want to know
17:40what is the BJP's
17:41real game
17:42if they're not
17:42actually going
17:43whole hog.
17:44But one last point,
17:45Priti,
17:45and that is about
17:46Mr. Nainar Nagendran,
17:47the new state BJP chief.
17:49He comes from
17:50southern Tamil Nadu.
17:51He was an ex-AIA
17:53DMK minister
17:54and left the party
17:55only in 2017
17:57to join the BJP.
17:58So he has
17:59very good equations
18:00with the AIDMK
18:01high command.
18:02And so this issue
18:03of seat sharing
18:04and all that
18:05is likely to be
18:05much smoother
18:06than it would have been
18:07potentially under Mr. Annamalai.
18:09You know,
18:09I want to get
18:10all three of you
18:10and I want to give you
18:11just 30 seconds.
18:12I apologize.
18:13That's all the time
18:13I have for now.
18:14What comes of
18:15Annamalai,
18:16the former state chief
18:17for the BJP?
18:18T.A. Sudhir.
18:20Well, I think,
18:20I mean,
18:21if Amir Shah's tweet
18:22is anything to go by,
18:23he would be given
18:23some kind of
18:24a national role
18:24because given
18:26the kind of popularity
18:27he has as,
18:29I mean,
18:29he's seen
18:30especially on social media,
18:32his supporters
18:32would need to be told
18:33that he has not been
18:34sidelined,
18:34that he has been
18:35given a different role.
18:36And I think that should
18:37do for the time being
18:38because right now
18:39they are putting
18:39all eggs in the
18:40AIDMK basket
18:41and Nainar Nagendran
18:42as the BJP man
18:43to coordinate with them.
18:45Shekhar Aya,
18:46what do you reckon?
18:46You know,
18:47will he be pulled
18:47back into the center
18:48a more national role now?
18:51No,
18:51Annamalai will remain
18:52in Tamil Nadu,
18:53but with the election
18:54of the new
18:54national BJP president,
18:56which is to happen
18:57shortly,
18:58it is quite possible
18:59he may be in the
19:00new team of office bearers,
19:01possibly what I am hearing
19:02is he could be
19:03one of the new
19:04general secretaries.
19:05And later,
19:06you know,
19:06this is a tactical
19:07withdrawal of Annamalai.
19:09This is not a,
19:10he cannot be sidelined
19:11and he will be
19:11very active
19:12in the campaign.
19:13I don't think,
19:14and the fact that
19:15Amit Shah made it
19:18a point to say
19:19in a tweet
19:20that he has
19:21contributed
19:21to the growth
19:23of BJP in Tamil Nadu
19:24and he is part
19:24of that framework,
19:25the infrastructure
19:26of BJP.
19:27That's a very
19:28important message
19:28and also
19:29where a specific
19:30question was,
19:31he said,
19:31look,
19:31he's by my side.
19:33So,
19:33and because they
19:34wanted to send
19:35a message
19:35that they are not
19:36going for a change
19:38of the alliance
19:39is happening
19:39because Annamalai
19:40is being removed.
19:41So,
19:41Annamalai will remain
19:42but he will have
19:43a national role also
19:44and it's quite possible
19:45in the months to come
19:46if there is a
19:47rajasabha vacancy
19:48he may be elected
19:49to the upper house
19:50and probably
19:50given a ministerial charge.
19:52That's a fair lot
19:53but Suman Draman
19:54is shaking his head.
19:55He doesn't agree with you.
19:56Go ahead,
19:57Mr. Rambal.
19:57No,
19:58Mr. Amit Shah
19:58was asked this question
19:59at the press conference today.
20:01They asked him,
20:02will Mr. Annamalai
20:02continue in Tamil Nadu
20:03or will he go to Delhi?
20:05And his answer to that was,
20:07can you please
20:07allow us
20:08to manage
20:09our internal party affairs?
20:10He did not answer
20:11that question
20:12with an explicit
20:12you know
20:13whether he would
20:14remain in Tamil Nadu.
20:15See,
20:15there is a great amount
20:17of negative sentiment
20:19between Mr. Annamalai
20:20and the AIADMK Kader.
20:21So,
20:22throwing him
20:22into the campaign
20:23is not going to go down
20:24very well
20:25with the AIADMK.
20:26What I heard
20:27from multiple sources
20:28is that he would be
20:29become a national secretary,
20:31not a general secretary
20:32but he would become
20:33a national secretary
20:34of the party
20:35and you know
20:36basically operate
20:38out of Delhi
20:38and play a low-key role
20:40until the 2026
20:42assembly election
20:42because they don't
20:43really want him
20:44you know,
20:46taking the limelight
20:47away from the
20:48alliance.
20:49That's very important.
20:49Well,
20:50the fact is both
20:51you know,
20:52the Prime Minister
20:52and the Home Minister
20:53are very,
20:53very fond of
20:54Annamalai
20:55so whatever it is
20:56even if it's
20:56you know,
20:57a back step
20:59or sorts
21:00it's going to be temporary.
21:02But I appreciate
21:03all three gentlemen
21:03for joining us.
21:04There is only going to get
21:05more interesting
21:06in times
21:06to come.
21:08One year away though.
21:09That's still one year away.
21:10You know,
21:11we always just look at it.
21:12We discuss Tamil Nadu
21:13as much as we are discussing
21:14Behar.
21:14Similar amount of news
21:15coming in
21:16from the state
21:17of Tamil Nadu.
21:18We'll keep our eyes clean
21:19getting you the latest.