Chennai, 4 May (H.S.) : BJP leader and former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan robustly defended the renewed BJP-AIADMK alliance for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, dismissing criticisms from the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) as hypocritical. Speaking to ANI, Soundararajan challenged the DMK’s alliance with Congress, accusing the latter of causing harm to Sri Lankan Tamils, and questioned why the DMK continues to partner with them.

“They are now jittery after AIADMK and BJP formed an alliance. It is our duty to fight against them,” Soundararajan stated, asserting that the DMK’s discomfort reflects their lack of confidence in their electoral prospects. She accused the DMK of aligning with Congress under “pressure tactics” and urged them to focus on their own coalition rather than critiquing the opposition’s strategy.

The BJP-AIADMK alliance, revived in April 2025 after a fallout in 2023, aims to challenge the DMK-led coalition, which swept all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu in 2024. Soundararajan claimed the DMK is rattled by the opposition’s unity, predicting that their alliance is “in a dividing stage.” She further alleged that corruption charges against DMK leaders and governance failures are weakening their position.

The alliance, sealed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has sparked debates, with DMK Chief Minister MK Stalin labeling it an “alliance of defeat.” However, Soundararajan emphasized that the partnership is a strategic move to oust the “anti-people” DMK government, building on the BJP’s 11.4% vote share in the 2024 elections and AIADMK’s 20.46%.

As Tamil Nadu gears up for a bipolar contest in 2026, the BJP-AIADMK coalition faces challenges in aligning their ideologies, with AIADMK leader Edappadi Palaniswami ruling out a coalition government post-election. Despite internal murmurs, the alliance is banking on vote transfers to counter the DMK’s strong “Tamil pride” narrative.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary