Home Minister Amit Shah is set to begin his two-day visit to Tamil Nadu on Thursday night amid renewed speculation over a possible revival of ties with the AIADMK ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Shah is expected to meet both the BJP state leaders and the AIADMK top brass during his stay in Chennai.
BJP’s chief strategist will hold key discussions with the party’s Tamil Nadu core committee, K. Annamalai, legislature party leader Nainar Nagendran, and Mahila Morcha chief Vanathi Srinivasan.
Change in TN BJP leadership on the cards
A major focus of Shah’s visit will be the appointment of a new state BJP president, with Annamalai announcing that he will not seek re-election. His controversial remarks on Dravidian leaders had strained ties with the AIADMK. Though reports earlier suggested EPS had demanded his removal, BJP insiders deny any such precondition.
Contenders for the Tamil Nadu BJP Chief post
Nainar Nagendran
Nagendran is currently the BJP’s floor leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. A popular leader from the influential Thevar community in Tirunelveli, he holds significant clout in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Formerly with the AIADMK, he joined the BJP in August 2017 and was soon appointed the party’s state vice president. His elevation as TN BJP chief could help the party expand its influence in the southern districts, which are considered DMK strongholds. The AIADMK-BJP alliance will need all the strength it can muster to counter the DMK’s dominance in the region.
L Murugan
Murugan served as Annamalai’s predecessor before being appointed Union Minister of State after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Given his proximity to the BJP leadership in Delhi, he could likely reassume state leadership ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls. However, his recent losses in the 2021 Assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha polls may weigh against him.
Vanathi Srinivasan
The Coimbatore South MLA defeated actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam president Kamal Haasan in the 2021 Assembly elections. Known for her organisational skills, she played a significant role in the party’s grassroots mobilisation as the national president of the BJP women’s wing. She is among the most prominent women leaders in the Tamil Nadu BJP and the party’s OBC face.
Thanjavur M ‘Karuppu’ Muruganantham
Belonging to the Mukkulathor community, Muruganantham is a close aide of K Annamalai and had accompanied him during key meetings with the central leadership. He has good support among the BJP’s grassroots functionaries and is known for his organisational skills.
AIADMK alliance talks on agenda
The visit comes weeks after AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) met Shah in Delhi, signaling a potential thaw in relations between the two former allies who parted ways before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
According to BJP sources, a meeting with senior AIADMK leaders is expected as both parties explore common ground to challenge the ruling DMK. While EPS has publicly stated that any alliance decision would be announced six months before the elections, Shah’s visit will likely accelerate backchannel talks. The question of accommodating expelled AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam, currently locked in a legal battle with EPS, remains unresolved.
Shah is also expected to meet Thuglak editor S. Gurumurthy during his visit, according to a UNI report.
