Alliance with AIADMK for 2026 polls restricted to only Tamil Nadu for now: Puducherry BJP in-charge

The BJP’s alliance with All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is, as of now, restricted to Tamil Nadu, Nirmal Kumar Surana, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Puducherry in-charge, told The Hindu.

AIADMK Puducherry unit secretary A. Anbalagan had recently expressed displeasure over the BJP’s decision to independently distribute welfare assistance in constituencies across the Union Territory.

Asked about this, Mr. Surana said: “As of now, our alliance for the 2026 Assembly polls with AIADMK pertains to only Tamil Nadu. So far, we have not held talks with AIADMK for coming Assembly polls in Puducherry. It is only an emerging political situation. Hence, we are working in all 30 constituencies to shore up our support base and strengthen our both level activities.”

Mr. Surana was in Puducherry on Monday (August 18, 2025) for the party’s election strategy meeting.

On the accusation that BJP was working in constituencies even currently held by AINRC, he said “our alliance partner too is active in all the 30 constituencies. Both the parties will try to strengthen their base in all constituencies There is nothing wrong in political parties trying to galvanise their workforce before the Assembly election. It will help the alliance only.”

Asked if he was ruling out any electoral pact with the AIADMK in Puducherry, Mr. Surana said “AIADMK is our valued partner and future decisions, electoral strategies are decided by our national leadership in consultation with partners.”

In the last Assembly polls, the AINRC contested 16 seats and allotted 14 seats to BJP. The BJP had parted with 5 seats from its kitty to the AIADMK. The AINRC had won 10 and BJP 6. The Dravidian party had failed to win any of the seats it contested. The BJP leaders in recent meetings had expressed desire to contest more seats considering the strike rate the party achieved in the last polls.

The AIADMK Puducherry leadership has requested Chief Minister N. Rangasamy to convene a meeting of National Democratic Alliance to sort out issues.