NDA Nears Seat-Sharing Deal For Tamil Nadu Polls, AIADMK Likely To Contest On 170 Seats

Last Updated:March 22, 2026, 10:25 IST

According to party sources, the BJP is likely to contest around 30 seats, while the PMK may get about 17 seats. Dhinakaran’s AMMK could be allotted around nine seats.

Tamil Nadu Elections 2026: With just days left for nomination filing to begin for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, seat-sharing talks within the NDA alliance have entered a crucial stage.

According to party sources, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), led by Edappadi K Palaniswami, is likely to retain a lion’s share of seats as it is expected to contest around 160 to 170 of the 234 seats in the state. The move is aimed at helping the party secure a majority on its own.

“This is to ensure that the AIADMK obtained a majority on its own to form the government," news agency PTI reported, citing a senior party leader.

Any party requires a simple majority of 118 MLAs to form the government on its own. The AIADMK has set a target of winning 210 seats and the NDA is projecting Palaniswami as its Chief Ministerial candidate.

According to party sources, the BJP is likely to contest around 30 seats, while the PMK may get about 17 seats. Dhinakaran’s AMMK could be allotted around nine seats, and the TMC led by G. K. Vasan may get three. The smaller parties in the alliance will contest either on AIADMK’s two leaves symbol or BJP’s lotus symbol, the source added.

Talks picked up pace after TTV Dhinakaran met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Saturday.

Following the meeting, Dhinakaran said the seat-sharing agreement will be finalised likely in the next two to three days. “I did not come here regarding the seat sharing but to discuss strategies on how to defeat the DMK. We discussed how to work across all 234 constituencies, and he has given some instructions and advice on this. I came here mainly for that purpose, and within the next two to three days we will finalise our seat sharing in an amicable manner," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

“Our party senior and Union Home Minister Amit Shah is directly involved in the seat-sharing talks and already the initial round with Palaniswami has been completed," a senior BJP leader said.

After Shah’s talks with PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss and AMMK general secretary Dhinakaran in the national capital, BJP Tamil Nadu election in-charge Piyush Goyal will arrive in Chennai to finalise the seat-sharing deal.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the schedule for Tamil Nadu assembly elections 2026. According to the statement, the elections will be held in one phase on April 23, 2026. The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has a total of 234 elected seats. As per the schedule, the counting of votes will be done on May 4, 2026.

In 2021, the impressive performance of the DMK-led coalition led M.K. Stalin to become Chief Minister for the first time. The DMK-led coalition managed a strong victory over the AIADMK-led coalition by winning 159 of the 234 seats.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK had won 66 of the 179 seats it contested. The BJP fielded 20 candidates and won just four seats. The PMK, which suffered a split last year owing to the leadership dispute between S Ramadoss and his son Anbumani, had been allotted 23 seats and it had won five seats.

The latter had entered into an alliance with the BJP this time, while senior Ramadoss has aligned with V K Sasikala, former close aide of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

(With inputs from agencies)

News elections NDA Nears Seat-Sharing Deal For Tamil Nadu Polls, AIADMK Likely To Contest On 170 Seats

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