PUDUCHERRY: The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) will secure a majority and form the government after the 2026 Assembly elections, party general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said on Saturday.
His statement came in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks in an exclusive interview with The New Indian Express, where Shah said the BJP would be part of the government.
When asked about Shah’s remarks, Palaniswami responded to reporters in Puducherry, saying, “Have I not said it clearly? AIADMK will win with a majority and form the government. Thank you!”.
He did not elaborate further or categorically rule out the inclusion of alliance partners even if AIADMK secures majority on its own.
Palaniswami’s comments on Saturday were his clearest indication yet that the AIADMK is not comfortable to share power with the BJP.
The idea of coalition government has remained a thorn in the AIADMK-BJP alliance ever since the Dravidian party joined back the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the presence of Shah in Chennai on April 11.
The Union home minister and the BJP’s chief electoral strategist told the media that day that Tamil Nadu will have a coalition government led by the AIADMK.
The aversion to the idea of a coalition government was immediately palpable among AIADMK leaders and cadres since both the DMK and the AIADMK have never shared power with their allies in the last nearly seven decades.
Since the announcement of the alliance, Shah has reiterated the stance on a few occasions. However, the State-level BJP leaders have tried to play it down a notch, but have maintained that Shah’s position is that of the party’s.
Palaniswami, who initially tried to brush aside the issue by saying that Shah’s remarks were misinterpreted, has of late taken a slightly more assertive position.
In a public meeting on June 29 in Ulundurpet, he said, “AIADMK will win more seats and form government as the single largest party”.
Palaniswami held a meeting with farmers’ associations, traders’ associations and representatives of industries, organised by the AIADMK Cuddalore North District unit in a hotel in Puducherry, as part of his ongoing tour of Tamil Nadu. He is expected to address the public in the evening in Cuddalore.
