New Delhi/Chennai, April 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday welcomed the return of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) back into the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) camp, expressing confidence that the reunion will lead to a more united and progressive Tamil Nadu.

Taking to X, the Prime Minister wrote: "Stronger together, united towards Tamil Nadu’s progress! Glad that AIADMK joins the NDA family. Together, with our other NDA partners, we will take Tamil Nadu to new heights of progress and serve the state diligently. We will ensure a government that fulfils the vision of the great MGR and Jayalalithaa Ji.”

Taking a sharp dig at the ruling DMK, PM Modi added: "For the sake of Tamil Nadu’s progress and to preserve the uniqueness of Tamil culture, it is important the corrupt and divisive DMK is uprooted at the earliest — which our alliance will do.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during his visit to Chennai on Friday, officially announced that AIADMK will lead the NDA in Tamil Nadu, setting the stage for a joint campaign in the 2026 Assembly elections.

At a press conference, HM Shah described the AIADMK-BJP collaboration as a “natural partnership” and confirmed that AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) would be the NDA’s Chief Ministerial candidate in the state.

This announcement marks a significant political shift, reviving a partnership that had collapsed in September 2023 after a bitter fallout.

The break-up had been triggered by controversial remarks made by Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai, who had offended the AIADMK leadership with his comments about revered Dravidian leaders such as C.N. Annadurai and J. Jayalalithaa.

The AIADMK and BJP had previously contested together in the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 Assembly elections.

In the 2021 polls, the AIADMK won 66 seats while the BJP secured four.

However, relations soured after Annamalai’s elevation as the state BJP chief, leading to the alliance’s collapse ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The split proved costly for both parties, who suffered setbacks in the 2024 polls.

HM Amit Shah’s arrival in Chennai was marked by a series of key meetings. He was received at the airport by top BJP leaders, including Annamalai, Union Minister of State L. Murugan, and senior party figures like Tamilisai Soundararajan, Nainar Nagendran, and Pon Radhakrishnan.

During his visit, HM Shah also held strategic discussions with senior BJP and RSS leaders, including a private meeting with S. Gurumurthy, editor of Thuglak magazine and an influential RSS ideologue.

These discussions were reportedly crucial in reviving the alliance. Political observers note that the groundwork for the reunion had been quietly laid weeks earlier.

EPS and senior AIADMK leaders — including former ministers S.P. Velumani and K.P. Munusamy — had met HM Shah in Delhi, sparking widespread speculation about reconciliation.

One of the key developments that paved the way for rapprochement was Annamalai’s announcement on April 4 that he would not seek any official position in the party, choosing instead to serve as a loyal cadre.

Sources suggest that the AIADMK leadership had requested the BJP high command to consider replacing Annamalai to facilitate smoother relations.

Senior RSS functionaries are also believed to have played an instrumental role in reviving the alliance, urging the BJP leadership to rebuild ties with a major Dravidian party in Tamil Nadu — a move seen as vital to counter the dominance of the DMK. With the AIADMK emerging as the BJP’s most viable ally in the state, the announcement marks a significant realignment in Tamil Nadu politics.

Analysts believe that a united AIADMK-BJP front could tap into anti-incumbency sentiments and mobilise crucial voter blocs across the state. The NDA is now aiming to position itself as a formidable alternative to the ruling DMK. As the countdown to 2026 begins, all eyes are on how this renewed partnership will translate into electoral momentum on the ground in one of India’s most politically dynamic states.