Seat-Sharing Row Deepens Between AIADMK and BJP in Tamil Nadu

The AIADMK is grappling with internal challenges, and tensions are also surfacing within its alliance. Apart from the BJP, no other party has yet shown interest in joining the coalition, adding to the strain on AIADMK leadership. Reports suggest that the BJP has intensified pressure on AIADMK, demanding a higher share of seats. Initially, the BJP insisted on one Assembly seat for every Lok Sabha seat contested, but it is now reportedly pressing for additional seats in several districts—a move that has left AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami deeply dissatisfied.

The political climate in Tamil Nadu is heating up, with Assembly elections only months away. Alliance negotiations have gained momentum. For the DMK, the ruling coalition is expected to remain intact, with only minor disputes over seat allocation. Since 2019, the DMK-led alliance has proven to be a stable front.

Meanwhile, Palaniswami is striving to revive AIADMK’s political fortunes by attempting to reunite the fractured AIADMK-BJP alliance. He is also working to bring back partners such as the DMDK and PMK. However, within the alliance, the BJP continues to exert pressure on AIADMK. Disputes over seat-sharing remain the most contentious issue.

Reports indicate that the BJP, emboldened by its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where it finished second in several constituencies, is now demanding at least 40 Assembly seats. This would amount to one Assembly seat for every Lok Sabha seat it contested, and in some districts, even more. AIADMK leaders have accused the BJP of overreaching, particularly in districts where AIADMK candidates were sidelined by BJP contenders in the Lok Sabha polls.

For example, BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan currently represents Coimbatore, yet the party is said to be seeking one or two additional seats in the region. Similar demands are being raised in Madurai, Tirunelveli, parts of Chennai, and Kanyakumari—constituencies where the BJP had secured second place in previous contests.

Adding to Palaniswami’s challenge, senior BJP leaders are reportedly pushing for additional seats in order to secure tickets for their loyalists in certain districts. There are also indications that the BJP wants specific quotas reserved for smaller alliance partners, with expectations running as high as 50–60 seats in total.

This aggressive bargaining has placed Palaniswami in a difficult position, as he attempts to balance AIADMK’s political ambitions with the BJP’s rising demands