Fresh speculation has emerged in Tamil Nadu’s political circles over whether Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) has indicated openness to allowing both the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) led by TTV Dhinakaran and the faction led by O. Panneerselvam (OPS) to operate within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) framework, following back-to-back meetings involving senior BJP and AIADMK leaders in Tiruchirappalli.
The renewed buzz follows a two-day visit to Tiruchirappalli by Amit Shah, during which he was met twice by former AIADMK minister SP Velumani, who is considered a key intermediary from EPS’s camp.
According to reports, Velumani met Amit Shah on behalf of EPS on Sunday, 4 January 2026, and again on Monday (5 January 2026) afternoon after the Union Home Minister concluded his participation in Pongal celebrations. The second meeting reportedly took place at a private hotel, before Shah left for the Tiruchirappalli airport at around 1.15 PM.
The discussions, which lasted for approximately 30 minutes, were attended by senior BJP leaders including Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran, and other state-level functionaries.
While no official statement was issued following the meeting, sources said alliance-related matters and seat-sharing were discussed, triggering intense speculation about the future shape of the NDA in Tamil Nadu.
Political observers suggest that the talks may have touched upon whether the NDA in Tamil Nadu could accommodate multiple AIADMK offshoots – specifically AMMK and the OPS-led faction possibly without forcing their merger back into the ADMK.
For the BJP, consolidating anti-DMK forces under the NDA banner remains a central objective ahead of upcoming elections. With AIADMK splits continuing to weaken the opposition space, accommodating multiple regional actors, without forcing immediate unity, could be seen as a pragmatic interim strategy.
As election timelines draw closer, greater clarity is expected -either through formal announcements or visible coordination among NDA constituents.
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