Chennai: Even as the National Democratic Alliance, led in Tamil Nadu by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, on Friday formally kicked off its campaign for the 2026 assembly elections with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a large rally in Maduranthagam, former chief minister O. Panneerselvam was not in the picture.
Despite being very much on the NDA’s political radar for the Assembly polls due in April-May, Panneerselvam has not yet been accommodated into the alliance, with AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) yet to give the final green signal.
“OPS has been told to wait. The leadership has not cleared his entry yet,” a senior BJP functionary told ThePrint.
AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) and O. Panneerselvam (OPS) have been politically estranged since the leadership tussle between them after the death of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa in 2016. Over the years, EPS has consolidated control of the party.
After OPS and EPS factional divisions widened, the AIADMK general council abolished the dual leadership arrangement in 2022 and elevated EPS as interim general secretary, removing OPS and his supporters from the party’s primary membership.
Since then, OPS’s attempts to reconcile with EPS and return to a unified AIADMK have repeatedly failed.
However, OPS is now confident he would join the NDA alliance for the 2026 assembly elections. Speaking to the reporters in Chennai earlier in the day, he said that everything would be sorted in another couple of weeks.
“Wait for another two weeks. Everything will be sorted and finalised,” he told the reporters.
According to sources privy to the negotiations, EPS’s reluctance stems from two key reasons. First, Panneerselvam has insisted on contesting elections on the AIADMK’s ‘two leaves’ election symbol, which would mean he would become a member of AIADMK.
Second, OPS and his supporters continue to legally challenge EPS’s leadership and how he was made the party’s general secretary, a case that remains pending before the Delhi High Court and the Election Commission of India.
“As long as he challenges the leadership, EPS is unwilling to politically legitimise OPS. From his perspective, it sends a contradictory message,” a senior AIADMK leader said.
While OPS’s reintegration remains in limbo, the NDA’s campaign launch carried significant political symbolism.
Prime Minister Modi’s public meeting at Maduranthagam in Chengalpattu district was held under the banner of an AIADMK-led NDA rally, with alliance partners sharing the stage, including AMMK chief T.T.V. Dhinakaran.
This overwhelming sea of supporters is sending a powerful message across Tamil Nadu and the entire nation: Tamil Nadu is now ready for change. The people seek freedom from the misgovernance of the DMK and are calling for an NDA and BJP-led government.
– PM @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/D8jM8NznyT
— BJP (@BJP4India) January 23, 2026
In contrast to the EPS-OPS situation, TTV Dhinakaran’s inclusion in the NDA fold has been smoother because his political ambitions are not linked to directly challenge EPS’s leadership within AIADMK. Dhinakaran, who is a nephew of VK Sasikala, has no formal claim on AIADMK and has publicly reaffirmed his commitment for a broader opposition to defeat DMK.
The presence of both AIADMK and AMMK leadership on the same platform marked an unexpected political moment, considering the bitter split that followed the death of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.
“This is not just a rally. It is a message that old rivalries can be set aside for 2026,” a BJP functionary told ThePrint.
However, not all allies were present at the high-profile event.
The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), OPS, and Puthiya Tamizhagam founder Dr. K Krishnasamy, who were all NDA allies in the 2021 assembly elections, were kept out of the rally, with seat-sharing talks still inconclusive.
While OPS continues to be viewed as a possible late entrant, sources indicated that Puthiya Tamizhagam is likely to be excluded altogether.
“The AIADMK-BJP leadership is assessing that Krishnasamy’s induction could disturb the delicate Mukulathor vote base in the southern districts. The concern is electoral arithmetic, not ideology. Any disturbance in southern caste equations could backfire,” a BJP functionary involved in alliance talks said.
While the prime minister’s rally marks the formal beginning of the NDA’s 2026 campaign in the state, alliance-building is still in progress.
Meanwhile, as OPS is made to wait and watch, his supporters have already started to switch camp, with two sitting MLAs—P.H. Manoj Pandian and R Vaithilingam—resigning as legislators and joining the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam with other leaders, including former MLAs.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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