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    COVER STORY                                                            MARCH 27, 2026      |  The Indian Eye                    5

            Tamil Nadu: Alliances, Rifts and
                     New Entrants
               f Bengal is about welfare and As-
               sam  about  identity,  Tamil  Nadu
            Ipresents a complex web of alli-
            ances and emerging players. The con-
            test is primarily between the ruling
            DMK-led alliance and the NDA led
            by the AIADMK in partnership with
            the BJP.
                Chief Minister M. K. Stalin has
            framed the election as a defense of
            state autonomy, criticizing opposi-
            tion leaders for engaging with the
            Centre.  “People  will  never  allow
            domination from Delhi,” he said, po-
            sitioning the DMK as a protector of
            Tamil interests under the “Dravidian   West Bengal CM and Chairperson of All India Trinamool Congress, Mamata Banerjee, releases party’s manifesto for the upcoming West Bengal
            Model 2.0.”
                The opposition, however, has          Assembly elections, in Kolkata on Friday. Party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and others also present. (ANI Photo)
            countered with sharp rhetoric.
            AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sa-     with party leader Shama Mohamed   talks  with  the  DMK  to  finalize  its   Tharoor noted that the short cam-
            tyan dismissed Stalin’s criticism, call-  highlighting that only nine of 92 tick-  alliance strategy, aiming to replicate   paign  window  “telescopes”  political
            ing him a “crybaby” driven by “fear   ets were given to women.      past success. With a 30-member as-  activity, potentially favoring incum-
            of failure.” This exchange reflects the   The LDF, which made history   sembly, even minor shifts in voter   bents with established networks.
            increasingly personal tone of cam-  in 2021 by retaining power for a sec-  preference can dramatically alter the   The upcoming assembly elec-
            paigning in the state.            ond consecutive term, will rely on its   balance of power.          tions across key states are crucial
                Adding to the complexity are   organizational  strength  and  welfare                             for Narendra Modi as they serve as
            shifting alliances and new entrants.   record to counter anti-incumbency.   A National Undercurrent   a mid-cycle political test of his lead-
            V.  K.  Sasikala’s  re-entry  into  active   Meanwhile, the BJP remains a mar-  hile each state has its own   ership and the broader appeal of the
                                              ginal player in the state, with Tharoor
            politics and her meeting with PMK   describing it as “pretty much non-ex- W  dynamics,  the  broader  BJP’s  governance  model.  Victories,
            founder S. Ramadoss have sparked                                             picture  reveals  a  national   especially in states like Assam and
            speculation about alternative alli-  istent” in the assembly context.  undercurrent. The BJP is seeking to   strong gains in West Bengal or south-
            ances. Meanwhile, actor-turned-pol-    Puducherry: Coalition        consolidate its presence, particular-  ern  states,  would  reinforce  Modi’s
            itician Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri       Arithmetic             ly in Assam and expand influence in   narrative of national dominance and
            Kazhagam, could turn the election                                   southern states. Regional parties like   organizational strength ahead of fu-
            into  a  triangular contest,  though it   n  the smaller but politically   the  Trinamool  Congress  and  DMK   ture national contests.
            has denied ongoing alliance talks.   significant  Union  Territory  of   are positioning themselves as de-  These polls also offer an oppor-
                These developments suggest a  IPuducherry, the focus is on alli-  fenders of federalism and regional   tunity to expand the BJP’s footprint
            fragmented opposition space, where   ance arithmetic. The ruling NDA, led   identity. Meanwhile, the Congress is   in regions where it has historically
            even minor shifts could significantly   by Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, has   attempting to regain lost ground, es-  struggled, particularly Tamil Nadu
            influence  outcomes  in  the  234-seat   finalized  seat-sharing  arrangements,   pecially in Kerala and Assam.  and  Kerala.  At  the  same  time,  set-
            assembly.                         with his party contesting 16 seats and   The compressed election sched-  backs could embolden opposition
                                              the BJP contesting 10.            ule—particularly in states voting on   alliances and revive regional parties
              Kerala: Anti-Incumbency vs          The  opposition  Congress  is  in   April  9—has  also  drawn  criticism.   positioning themselves as counters to
                Organizational Strength                                                                           central authority.
               n Kerala, the political battle is                                                                      Beyond  numbers,  the  elections
               defined  by  competing  narratives                                                                 will shape perceptions of Modi’s po-
            Iof governance and economic                                                                           litical momentum, governance cred-
            management. Congress leader Shashi                                                                    ibility, and the effectiveness of his
            Tharoor has been one of the most                                                                      party’s  strategy  in  navigating  local
            vocal critics of the ruling Left Dem-                                                                 issues within a national framework.
            ocratic Front (LDF), alleging that the                                                                    As  campaigning  intensifies,  the
            “Kerala model has become a debt                                                                       coming weeks are likely to see sharp-
            model.”                                                                                               er rhetoric, strategic alliances, and
                “LDF has represented 10 years                                                                     high-voltage rallies. With multiple
            of misgovernance…  We  are  im-                                                                       narratives competing for voter atten-
            mersed in debt,” Tharoor said, point-                                                                 tion, the elections in these five states
            ing  to  fiscal  stress,  unemployment,                                                               are not just regional contests—they
            and migration of youth as key issues.                                                                 are a litmus test for political strategies,
            He  also  projected  confidence  in  a                                                                leadership credibility, and the evolv-
            UDF victory, estimating 72–75 seats                                                                   ing mood of the Indian electorate.
            as a minimum threshold.                                                                                   When the votes are counted on
                At  the  same  time,  internal                                                                    May 4, the results will not only deter-
            challenges  persist  within  the  Con-   Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhay Stalin during the meeting of the office bearers of the   mine state governments but also of-
            gress-led  alliance.  Concerns  over          DMK’s affiliated, in Tirupathur (@Udhaystalin X/ANI Photo)  fer crucial hints about the trajectory
            gender representation have surfaced,                                                                  of Indian politics in the years ahead.

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