The All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has officially severed its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu, citing multiple reasons, including a dispute over the projection of K Annamalai as the chief ministerial candidate for the 2026 Assembly elections. A senior AIADMK leader, KC Karuppannan, provided insight into the reasons behind the dissolution of the alliance.
Dispute Over Chief Ministerial Candidate:
One of the primary factors leading to the dissolution of the AIADMK-BJP alliance was the BJP’s insistence on projecting K Annamalai, the state unit chief of the Tamil Nadu BJP, as the chief ministerial candidate for the 2026 Assembly polls. AIADMK leader KC Karuppannan revealed this information during a party event in Erode. The AIADMK was reportedly not in favor of accepting this proposal, which contributed to the breakdown of the alliance.
Criticism of J Jayalalithaa:
Another significant factor contributing to the rift between the two parties was K Annamalai’s criticism of the late AIADMK matriarch, J Jayalalithaa. The AIADMK found it unacceptable for a member of their alliance to criticize their revered leader, further straining the relationship between the two parties.
Impact on Electoral Strategies:
AIADMK’s decision to end the alliance with the BJP comes in the backdrop of upcoming elections. KP Munusamy, another AIADMK senior functionary, announced that party chief Edappadi Palaniswami would lead a separate alliance comprising smaller state parties in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Munusamy also rejected allegations made by the ruling DMK party that the AIADMK would patch up with the BJP ahead of the 2024 polls.
Denial of Calls for Annamalai’s Removal:
Contrary to reports that suggested AIADMK leadership had called for the removal of K Annamalai as the state unit chief of the BJP during a meeting with BJP president JP Nadda, AIADMK leader Munusamy denied such claims. He stated that it would be “childish” for a party as large as AIADMK to seek the removal of the state president of another party.
Impact on AIADMK’s Voter Base:
AIADMK’s decision to exit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), as announced on September 25, was met with enthusiasm by the party’s supporters. Many within the AIADMK believed that the party was losing its grip on Dravidian and minority community voters due to its association with the BJP. The political landscape in Tamil Nadu is expected to undergo significant changes as parties reconfigure their alliances and strategies ahead of the upcoming elections.
