The announcement was made by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami during a joint press conference at the party's headquarters in Chennai. The event was attended by union minister Piyush Goyal , BJP Tamil Nadu president Nainar Nagendran, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss, and AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran.
The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) will battle it out on 18 seats, and the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) on 11 seats.
Ahead of the Tamil Nadu assembly elections 2026, the National Democratic Alliance ( NDA ) finalised its seat-sharing arrangement, with BJP to fight on 27 seats out of 234 while All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) will contest on 178 seats.
Reacting to the decision to BJP contesting on 27 seats in TN elections, BJP's Tamil Nadu election in-charge Goyal said, "We are all one family and we will fight the elections to win them...We are very satisfied with the 27 seats, we will sweep the elections as the people of the state are fed up with CM Stalin and DCM Udhayanidhi Stalin...They have hurt the culture of the state...NDA will form the government in the state...".
Separately, AC Shanmugam, founder of the Puthiya Needhi Katchi, stated that he has informed Piyush Goyal of his party's willingness to contest nine constituencies under the BJP's lotus symbol. He also referenced his past electoral performances in Vellore, noting that he secured 3.25 lakh votes in 2014 under the BJP symbol and 4.70 lakh votes when contesting with AIADMK support.
"In 2014, along with PM Modi, the then candidate, we contested under the lotus symbol and I got 3.25 lakh votes in Vellore. I contested from Vellore under AIADMK and got 4.70 lakh votes... I already informed Piyush Goyal that we are ready to contest under the lotus symbol and gave a list of 9 constituencies, asking for 4-3," said Shanmugam.
Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4. The current tenure of the 234-member state assembly ends on May 10.
(With inputs from ANI)