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The political landscape of Tamil Nadu is witnessing a storm, given that the state is set to undergo assembly elections in 2026. The DMK faces the challenge of retaining its power.
News18
AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami on Wednesday, January 7, announced that Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has joined hands with the state’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly polls.
Addressing a presser in Tamil Nadu’s Chennai alongside PMK Chief Anubumani Ramadoss, Palaniswami hailed the alliance as a “victory alliance”, expressing the possibility of the inclusion of more parties in the bloc.
“The PMK president, Anbumani Ramadoss, has also joined the NDA alliance; more parties are also expected to join the alliance. Our alliance is a victory alliance,” Palaniswami told journalists, as quoted by news agency ANI.
#WATCH | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami met PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss.“PMK has joined hands with the AIADMK to form alliance with the NDA” said PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss
(Source: AIADMK) pic.twitter.com/VdNQ4gQjgM
— ANI (@ANI) January 7, 2026
Echoing Palaniswami’s remarks, PMK chief A. Ramadoss stated, “PMK has joined hands with the AIADMK to ally with the NDA.”
The development comes after Anbumani Ramadoss met with E Palaniswami at his residence in Chennai, earlier today. Pertinent to note that the PMK enjoys a localised but influential vote bank in the state, centred around the Vannniyar community, a Most Backward Class (MBC) group.
The influence of the party is concentrated in northern Tamil Nadu, with districts including Vellore, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Salem, and more.
‘NDA will win big’
Earlier, Edappadi Palaniswami claimed that the NDA will “win big in 2026 elections”. He also targeted the DMK regime, alleging that “sexual assaults are happening under the current DMK government in the state”.
“AIADMK alliance will win big in the 2026 elections. Stalin, who visited the Kallakurichi district a few days ago, has left after lying. They are now revealing the plans that the AIADMK brought, claiming that they did it. He named the child I gave birth to. Sexual assaults are happening under this regime,” he said, as quoted by ANI.
Tamil Nadu assembly polls 2026
The political landscape of Tamil Nadu is witnessing a storm, given that the state is set to undergo assembly elections in 2026. Chief Minister MK Stalin-led DMK faces the challenge of retaining its power, after a stellar performance in the Lok Sabha Polls 2024.
The AIADMK-led NDA bloc, which included the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), attempts to find its lost ground after 2021, even though it performed ordinarily in the parliamentary elections.
January 07, 2026, 11:02 IST
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