Annamalai takes on EPS, Nainar Nagendran; says BJP will be part of coalition govt
AIADMK chief EPS insists on a single-party government, which got a strong rebuttal from Annamalai, who seems to be indirectly hitting out at Nainar Nagendran
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Tamil Nadu is grappling with internal discord as AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) and former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai publicly clashed over the prospect of forming a coalition government after the 2026 Assembly elections.
Adding fuel to the fire, speculation is rife that Annamalai has indirectly taken a swipe at the newly-appointed Tamil Nadu BJP chief, Nainar Nagendran, further highlighting the fragile dynamics within the alliance.
Single-party government
On Wednesday, EPS, addressing the media, firmly reiterated that the AIADMK would form a single-party government if the NDA wins in 2026.
“Union Home Minister Amit Shah did not say there would be a coalition government. He only said our alliance will form the government. As far as our alliance is concerned, my word is final,” EPS asserted, dismissing Shah’s repeated statements about a coalition government.
Also read: BJP-AIADMK alliance: Can Nainar deliver where Annamalai fell short?
In a sharp rebuttal, Annamalai, speaking to reporters in Chennai today, defended Shah’s position and questioned his own role in the BJP if he could not uphold his leader’s stance.
“As a BJP worker, I must follow what my leader Amit Shah says. He has clearly stated multiple times that the BJP will be part of the government. If I say there will be no coalition government, I am not fit to be a worker or a leader in this party,” Annamalai said, emphasising his loyalty to Shah’s vision.
“If I cannot defend my leader’s stance, why should I be in politics? Why should I be in the BJP?” he added.
Rift in TN BJP?
Annamalai’s remarks come amid speculations of a rift with Nainar Nagendran, who replaced him as Tamil Nadu BJP chief in April 2025. Last week, at a BJP booth committee workshop in Chennai’s Kattankulathur, Nagendran stated that the 2026 Assembly election was not the party’s primary focus.
“The 2026 election is not our main goal. Our target is the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. There is no doubt that the NDA will come to power in 2026. Whether our current four seats increase to 40 or 50 is a different matter. Our aim is to maximise the number of MPs from Tamil Nadu in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. That’s when others will understand BJP’s strength,” Nagendran said.
Annamalai’s strong advocacy for a coalition government in 2026 is seen by political observers as an indirect critique of Nagendran’s apparent downplaying of the upcoming Assembly elections.
Also read: Nainar Nagendran looks set to lead TN BJP ahead of 2026 Assembly polls
Sources within the BJP suggest that Annamalai’s remarks reflect his frustration with the new leadership’s focus on long-term goals over immediate electoral priorities, further straining intra-party relations.
Rocky alliance
The AIADMK-BJP alliance, revived in April 2025 under EPS’s leadership, has been rocky since its inception.
Annamalai had quoted other NDA allies, including leaders of PMK, Puthiya Tamilagam, and DMDK’s Premalatha Vijayakanth, also expressed concerns about the lack of clarity on power-sharing, questioning the purpose of their efforts if a coalition government is not guaranteed.
"No party cadres will work for some other party leaders to become CM", Annamalai said.
Also read: Amit Shah in Madurai to rev up party machinery for 2026 TN polls
DMK hits out
The DMK has capitalised on the disarray in the NDA, with Chief Minister MK Stalin and deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin accusing EPS of compromising Tamil Nadu’s interests to align with Shah.
