Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Mar 23: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has finalised its seat-sharing arrangement for the state Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which leads the alliance, contesting on 178 seats leaving 27 for the BJP and 18 for the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and 11 for the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) in the 234-member state Assembly.
The announcement was made by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami during a joint press conference at the party’s headquarters in Chennai on Monday. The event was attended by union minister Piyush Goyal, BJP Tamil Nadu president Nainar Nagendran, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss, and AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran.
Reacting to the decision to BJP contesting on 27 seats in TN elections, BJP’s Tamil Nadu election in-charge Goyal said, “We are all one family and we will fight the elections to win them…We are very satisfied with the 27 seats, we will sweep the elections as the people of the state are fed up with CM Stalin and DCM Udhayanidhi Stalin…They have hurt the culture of the state…NDA will form the government in the state…”.
Separately, AC Shanmugam, founder of the Puthiya Needhi Katchi, stated that he has informed Piyush Goyal of his party’s willingness to contest nine constituencies under the BJP’s lotus symbol. He also referenced his past electoral performances in Vellore, noting that he secured 3.25 lakh votes in 2014 under the BJP symbol and 4.70 lakh votes when contesting with AIADMK support.
“In 2014, along with PM Modi, the then candidate, we contested under the lotus symbol and I got 3.25 lakh votes in Vellore. I contested from Vellore under AIADMK and got 4.70 lakh votes… I already informed Piyush Goyal that we are ready to contest under the lotus symbol and gave a list of 9 constituencies, asking for 4-3,” said Shanmugam.
Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4. The current tenure of the 234-member state assembly ends on May 10.
It is the first time the BJP has emerged the principal alliance partner of the AIADMK in terms of contesting the number of seats. After the AIADMK’s share of 178 seats, the BJP has been given the second highest allocation of 27 seats. Mr Palaniswami also expressed the confidence that the NDA would secure a majority and form the government post polls.
Mr Palaniswami said talks continued with other allies as well, and it would be concluded by tonight. The names of Constituencies to be contested by alliance parties would be identified soon, he said, adding the seat-sharing talks were cordial. The 53-year-old AIADMK, the principal Opposition party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, is hoping that the April 23 election will end its lean phase in electoral politics, which began in December 2017 with the party’s defeat in the R.K. Nagar by-election.
Meanwhile, the Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi filed his nomination papers from the Jorhat Assembly seat on Monday making his debut electoral foray in the State polls.
Puducherry BJP president V.P. Ramalingam on Monday filed his nomination from Raj Bhavan Constituency for the Assembly elections. The Raj Bhavan seat is currently held by All India NR Congress (AINRC) Minister K. Lakshminarayanan, and has now been transferred to the BJP in NDA’s seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming polls. Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Tamil Nadu BJP in-charge and actor Khushboo were present during the filing of nomination.
Assam, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry will go to polls on April 9, 2026. In Tamil Nadu, the election will be conducted on April 23. The first phase of elections will happen on April 23 in West Bengal and the second phase on April 29. The counting for all these elections will be held on May 4.