Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 22 : Seat-sharing talks and verbal exchanges have heated up in the run-up to the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, as the DMK-led alliance looks to win massively while the NDA camp looks to oust the ruling party.
Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram took a sharp jibe at All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), calling the party a 'puppet' in the hands of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran labelled the DMK as an "evil force."
Today, speaking to reporters, Chidambaram alleged that the BJP is controlling AIADMK General Secretary and LoP in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Edappadi K Palaniswami. He said, "The true leadership of the National Democratic Alliance lies with the Bharatiya Janata Party. The leader put forward for agreement is from the AIADMK. In a puppet show, the puppet is not important; what matters is who holds the strings."
However, launching a sharp attack on the ruling party, Dhinakaran said, "The people of Tamil Nadu are ready to defeat the evil force known as the DMK," while noting that AIADMK's Edappadi K Palaniswami is leading the NDA in the state.
The AMMK leader said, "In Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K Palaniswami leads the NDA alliance and at the national level, the BJP leads the alliance."
He also claimed that the frequent visits of NDA leaders to the national capital have unsettled the DMK leadership. "When NDA alliance leaders come to Delhi, DMK President MK Stalin gets afraid," Dhinakaran said.
Meanwhile, he maintained that his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi was focused on strategic planning for the elections and not on a seat-sharing pact.
AMMK leader P Senthilnathan accused the ruling party of resorting to cheap political tactics during elections and attempting to divert attention from governance failures by exploiting sentimental issues such as language and religion.
While speaking to ANI, P Senthilnathan said, "They (DMK) always play this cheap and filthy politics when it comes to elections. Whenever there's a failure in their governance, they try to overcome it by some other sentimental situations like language, religion or region. People are well aware of the situation and the game that DMK is trying to play."
As the seat-sharing talks continue in the DMK camp, founder-president of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Thol Thirumavalavan, said that the seat-sharing pact will be announced once the ruling party provides the number of constituencies, which he described as a large process due to the joining of nearly 10 parties in the alliance.
"We will settle it amicably very soon. Before that, we have to get applications from the cadres who are willing to contest the forthcoming assembly elections across the state. From 234 constituencies, our office cadres are willing to apply. But it is not possible to get more seats to distribute among our cadres. Based on the numbers we get from the DMK alliance, we will decide later on. Nearly 10 new parties have joined our alliance. DMK has to accommodate everyone in this alliance," Thol Thirumavalavan stated.
VCK MLA SS Balaji told ANI that the seat-sharing formula with the DMK will be announced in a couple of days.
Meanwhile, in the poll-bound Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed confidence in the victory of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), while claiming that the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has not grown in the state.
"Those who are with the opposition may have a good opinion about them. But the people are not with them. Just a few people coming together is not enough to win or to come to power; the support of the people is needed for that. The opposition in Kerala has not yet risen to a level that is accepted by the people," Vijayan told ANI in an interview.
"What growth has the Congress party achieved in the places where Rahul Gandhi and other national leaders are working? There isn't any major growth visible in those places. I don't think their coming will bring any particular change in Keralam," he added.
While the BJP found an opening in the state by winning the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation elections, Vijayan affirmed that the party would not be able to win even a single seat in the 2026 Assembly elections.
The Kerala CM said, "Some people wish for the BJP to grow, and they are taking steps for that. The fact that the BJP won the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in the local self-government elections also remains. However, that should not be misunderstood as the entire people of Kerala accepting the BJP. I am firmly convinced that the BJP will not get even a single seat in this Assembly election."
Several leaders, including Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar. He filed his nomination from the Nemom constituency, with Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma present in a show of support.
Addressing reporters, Chandrasekhar said that he is grateful, as accompanied by Bhajanlal Sharma, during the filing of nomination, stating that he will work hard for the development of Nemom.
"I am deeply grateful to the Rajasthan CM who came here and accompanied & supported me during the filing of the nomination. I am also grateful to all the hundreds and thousands of workers who have accompanied me, people of Nemom and Thiruvananthapuram, who have accompanied me today. It fills my heart with great hope, affection and reinforces the responsibilities I am planning to take on. I can promise the people that if they give me an opportunity, I will work hard to solve all the problems, I will work hard to bring development to Nemom, and I will work hard 365 days a year, 24 hours a day to make Nemom a model constituency in Keralam," said Chandrasekhar.
Congress leader and Puthuppally MLA Chandy Oommen and the Kerala Health Minister and Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate Veena George also filed their nominations.
BJP candidate for the Kozhikode North Assembly Constituency, Navya Haridas, held a roadshow and filed her nomination papers in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Prem Chand Bairwa. Palakkad UDF Candidate Ramesh Pisharody also filed his nomination.
The polling for the 234-seat Tamil Nadu Assembly will be held in a single phase on April 23, while polling in Kerala will take place on April 9. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.