In multipronged poll front, people are gravitating towards NDA, says Annamalai

CHENNAI: Against the backdrop of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami’s meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, BJP state president K Annamalai on Tuesday called upon political parties to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), asserting that a united front was essential to defeat the ruling DMK in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Speaking to reporters after attending an Iftar gathering, organised by TN BJP at Egmore here, Annamalai said, “The NDA alliance is expanding, and we welcome any party that wishes to stand against the DMK’s misgovernance. Tamil Nadu is witnessing a historic political shift, with five major alliances in contention—the DMK-led coalition, the AIADMK-led alliance, the BJP-led NDA, Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi, and Vijay’s TVK. This multi-cornered contest is unprecedented in the State’s political history. NTK has been consistently increasing its vote share, and it remains to be seen whether this five-way contest will evolve into a three-way battle in the coming months.” Sharpening his attack on the DMK, Annamalai urged minority communities to rethink their political choices.

“The DMK can no longer take the Muslim and Christian communities for granted. For years, they have treated minorities as mere vote banks while failing to address their real concerns. Today, both communities are gravitating towards the BJP, recognising our commitment to governance and inclusive development,” he said.

When questioned about Palaniswami’s Delhi visit, Annamalai responded, “Anyone is free to meet the Home Minister. I have no knowledge of such a meeting. If you are asking me a politically motivated question, I am not in a position to comment. However, I can assure you that there are no hidden political calculations.”