Tamil Nadu elections: From Delhi to Chennai, NDA push to seal deal on seats

Seat-sharing talks within the NDA in Tamil Nadu have intensified following the announcement of Assembly elections, with allies moving towards a final agreement.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday to discuss seat-sharing, saying the numbers would be finalised within four days. A day later, AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran also met Shah in the capital. On Saturday, BJP's Tamil Nadu in-charge Piyush Goyal reached Chennai for final consultations with AIADMK and other allies. The agreement is expected to be announced in Chennai in the presence of NDA leaders.

The NDA in Tamil Nadu includes AIADMK, BJP, AMMK, PMK led by Anbumani Ramadoss and the Tamil Manila Congress. In 2021, the BJP contested 20 seats and won four. This time, it has shortlisted around 75 constituencies and is seeking to contest at least 30 seats. The party has identified segments where it sees strong prospects and has shared its list with AIADMK, with final negotiations underway.


The BJP is eyeing constituencies in Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Chennai and other districts as part of its push to expand its base in the state.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly elections are scheduled for April 23, with counting on May 4.