Salem: As Tamil Nadu’s Assembly election draws closer, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reportedly begun discussions to contest at least one seat in Salem district, the political stronghold of AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), according to sources familiar with the developments.
The BJP is said to be exerting pressure for a greater share of seats in the Kongu region, particularly across the districts of Coimbatore, Erode, and Tiruppur, where the party believes it has steadily built a support base. With just six months left before the polls, the BJP has intensified its groundwork across Tamil Nadu through booth committee meetings, statewide tours by Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai, and organizational training sessions.
RSS Blueprint and Political Calculations
Party insiders say the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has drawn up a detailed blueprint for the Tamil Nadu elections, similar to its strategy in Bihar, with the BJP working systematically to implement it. The AIADMK-BJP alliance has already bolstered the BJP’s standing in several regions, and the RSS reportedly wants to use this partnership to deepen the BJP’s grassroots presence across the state.
However, the BJP’s focus on certain constituencies in the AIADMK strongholds of Salem and Erode has reportedly surprised senior AIADMK leaders. Salem, EPS’s home district, has traditionally been an AIADMK bastion — in the last two elections, the party won nine out of ten Assembly segments, barring Salem North. In contrast, in the 2021 election, only Erode’s Minister Muthusamy managed a victory for the DMK alliance in the region.
Tensions Over Seat-Sharing
Sources indicate that the BJP’s interest in contesting a seat in Salem has been conveyed to Edappadi Palaniswami, sparking internal discussions within the AIADMK camp. EPS is said to have expressed reservations over ceding any seat in his home turf to the BJP, though the move reportedly comes with RSS backing.
Adding to the complexity is the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) factor. Salem district has a significant Vanniyar population, and analysts note that winning here without PMK’s support could be difficult. PMK’s alliance with the AIADMK in 2021 played a key role in consolidating votes in the Kongu belt. However, with PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss showing increasing proximity to the BJP in recent months, both parties are believed to be in backchannel talks over a potential understanding.
Growing BJP Assertiveness
BJP’s state functionaries, particularly state co-incharge Gopinath, are said to be keen on fielding a strong candidate from Salem, viewing it as both a symbolic and strategic opportunity. BJP cadres reportedly believe that contesting from EPS’s home district would strengthen the party’s credibility in the Kongu region and position it as a viable force beyond its traditional pockets.
While the BJP’s assertiveness signals its growing ambitions in Tamil Nadu, the move has caused unease among AIADMK workers, who see it as a potential “checkmate strategy” by the BJP. With the RSS actively guiding campaign strategy and alliance negotiations gaining momentum, political observers say that the Salem seat could become a flashpoint in the evolving BJP–AIADMK–PMK dynamics ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election.
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