Amit Shah Says Next Tamil Nadu CM from AIADMK, Skips EPS Name, Signals Power-Sharing Role for BJP
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has made a significant declaration regarding the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, asserting that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with the BJP as a constituent, will form the next government and the Chief Minister will be from the AIADMK. However, in a move that has sent ripples through the state’s political circles, he conspicuously avoided naming current AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) as the presumptive candidate.
In an interview with a regional daily on Friday, Shah’s statement confirmed the BJP’s ambition to be part of the government in Tamil Nadu, a state where Dravidian parties have not shared power with any ally since 1967. “The NDA alliance of the BJP and the AIADMK is going to form a government in Tamil Nadu next year,” Shah stated, adding that the top post would go to its Dravidian ally.
This assertion raises the unprecedented prospect of a national party gaining a direct stake in the governance of Tamil Nadu, potentially altering the state’s political landscape. The deliberate omission of Palaniswami’s name has fueled speculation about the BJP’s preferred leadership choice within the AIADMK or the dynamics of the seat-sharing and power structure being negotiated.
Adding another layer of intrigue, when questioned about the possibility of actor Vijay’s newly formed party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), joining the NDA, Shah remained non-committal yet open. “There is still time for elections,” he replied, suggesting that alliances are still fluid.
The Home Minister’s comments follow his fiery rally in Madurai on June 8, where he launched a blistering attack on the ruling DMK led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. Shah accused the government of rampant corruption, citing specific allegations. “The DMK government in Tamil Nadu has crossed all limits of corruption,” he had declared.
He alleged a scam worth Rs 450 crore in the distribution of nutrition kits provided by the central government, claiming they were handed to a private company, thereby “depriving the poor of food.” Shah also leveled accusations of a Rs 4,600 crore sand mining scam that he said has forced common people to pay exorbitant prices while benefiting the ruling party.
“I understand the pulse of the people and can say that the people of Tamil Nadu will dethrone the DMK in the next elections,” Shah confidently stated, reaffirming the BJP’s resolve to oust the current administration.
Echoing Shah’s aggressive posture, Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagendran, at the same Madurai event, warned of a “Silent Operation” to defeat the DMK. In a direct challenge to the Chief Minister, Nagendran said, “Chief Minister Stalin is asking, ‘Who is that Shah?’ Let me tell him: this is the same Shah who helped the BJP come to power in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi. DMK is afraid of him.” This statement underscores the BJP’s strategy of positioning Amit Shah as the central figure in its campaign to win the southern state.
