Tamil Nadu will go to polls in 2026, but the opposition, led by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), has already started girding its loins to dethrone its arch-rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which is facing anti-incumbency and widespread resentment for promoting nepotism.

The BJP, which is trying to get a toehold in TN politics, fancies its chances by either going it alone or by reviving the tie-up with the AIADMK.

Both the parties are ruing their decision to go it alone in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, with the AIADMK getting an impressive 21% share of the popular votes and the BJP capturing 11%. To psephologists, it was a monumental blunder because, had they fought together, they would have registered an impressive tally of 32%, assuming complete transferability of votes, which sceptics often regard as partially untenable.

Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai had prevailed upon the party leadership to go it alone in 2024. The party is now in a dilemma. If it once again goes it alone, it might improve its vote share a bit, but that might not convert into seats for which the critical mass is around 30% to 32%, given the nature of groupings in the state. But if it ties up with the AIADMK, it fears the prospect of having to play second fiddle.

Annamalai, in 2024, wanted to shake himself and........

© News18