Tamil Nadu: BJP finalises alliance with PMK, AIADMK left alone

In a late-night development on Monday, March 18, the Paatali Makkal Katchi (PMK) sealed its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu. The announcement came a month ahead of the polling for phase one in the General Elections, which the state will partake in.

"The party (PMK) will ally with the BJP-led NDA," said Vadivel Ravanan, General Secretary, PMK. "An announcement on the number of Lok Sabha constituencies our candidates will contest from will be made by our founder, Dr S Ramadoss, soon," he added.

For PMK, the decision to ally with the BJP, sources said, was taken by party leadership comprising Dr Ramadoss and Dr Anbumani, despite the rank and file of the party preferring Tamil Nadu's principal opposition party, the AIADMK.

Earlier today, state BJP President K Annamalai met Ramadoss and Anbumani in the presence of Minister of State, L Murugan. The father-son duo is expected to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his Salem campaign, on Tuesday.

The BJP-PMK alliance is also significant as it signifies the near-return of the NDA in Tamil Nadu, after the AIADMK, an important ally, exited in September 2023. A few weeks ago, the BJP allied with GK-Vasan-led Tamil Maanila Congress, and is in talks with the DMDK founded by late actor Vijayakanth.

Sources said the AIADMK is also in talks with the DMDK, as the PMK choosing to return to the NDA has left the party virtually ally-less. This might, incidentally, force the AIADMK to contest on its own should it not muster support from the DMDK.

In contrast, the INDIA bloc has firmed up most of its alliance talks. The DMK-Congress combine has allotted 10 seats to the Congress, one seat to the MDMK and one each to the CPI and CPI(M).