New Delhi: A.S. Tamil Nadu Gear up for assembly elections in the next few months BJP Wants to unite the opposition forces. With the anti-DMK alliance, the BJP also seems to be trying to do a “Bihar thing” in a state where it has so far struggled to make a mark.As the party is taking winning lessons from the recent Bihar Assembly victory, it is building a social alliance that represents every major caste section in the state. Earlier in Bihar assembly elections, BJP had made a foolproof plan. party, with NDA The partners formed a social alliance that represented major castes, alienating the Rashtriya Janata Dal-led grand alliance from its Muslim-Yadav voter base.The five NDA partners represented almost all sections of the society. LJP and HAM had Dalit faces like Union Ministers Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi. The EBC and non-Yadav OBC castes were represented by the JD(U) and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha. Meanwhile, the BJP had its vote bank among the upper castes and the Bania community. This well-organized caste alliance brought an overwhelming majority to the NDA. The alliance won 202 seats in the 243-member Bihar Assembly.forming an allianceAlliances also play a big role in Tamil Nadu, which is dominated by Dravidian politics. Apart from a peak DMK or AIADMKWithout a broad alliance, no single party can dominate the Assembly.To prevent vote-splitting, which could favor the DMK, the BJP is trying to include as many parties as possible to rebuild a broad NDA. Former coalition partners and breakaway factions are being contacted, including leaders who had earlier left.Two years after the split, BJP and AIADMK came together in 2025 and announced that the NDA will contest the upcoming assembly elections under the leadership of former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS).The BJP’s alliance with the AIADMK has been more than strategic and is seen as Delhi’s primary means of gaining relevance in the southern state. However, the current BJP strategy driven primarily by Amit Shah reflects this urgency. Additionally, AIADMK also has a voter base among Dalit communities. This voter constitutes approximately 20 percent of the state’s population.Meanwhile, AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam (OPS) also announced that he was “open” to reunite with Edappadi K Palaniswami’s (EPS) AIADMK faction ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections.At a press conference in Madurai, OPS issued a tough challenge to both EPS and AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran, asking if they were ready to take the leap. “I’m ready for it. Are they ready?” he said, referring to the possibility of rival factions uniting under the NDA umbrella.Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) also joined the NDA, giving it a symbolic boost. However, it did not come without complications. Anbumani Ramadoss’s decision to forge an alliance with the AIADMK-BJP front was meant to strengthen the NDA’s presence in northern Tamil Nadu, where the PMK traditionally draws support from the Vanniyar community. Although this adds social breadth to the alliance at a time when unification is important, the PMK is far from united. Meanwhile, the BJP has also reportedly approached TVK’s Vijay to join the NDA as he positions his party as an alternative political force in Tamil Nadu.Vijay comes from the Christian community which constitutes about 6 per cent of the population in the state. Additionally, Vijay is quite popular among the youth. Unlike the parties of other film stars, Vijay’s supporters are organized and politically active.What do political pundits say?According to election analysts, caste equations have always played a role in Tamil Nadu. However, he believes that BJP’s efforts to bring different castes on one platform have not yielded much results.Speaking to *The Times of India*, political analyst Kannan R said that the saffron party has many leaders from backward classes, but as of now, the party seems to be uniting Hindus as a monolithic unit.Kannan said, “Caste and cash remain two important factors in the electoral politics of TN and will continue to play an important role. I do not think the BJP is trying to bring different castes to the stage, or if so, it has not got the momentum so far.”He said, “It has many leaders from backward classes, but so far the party seems to be uniting Hindus as a united unit, which has not been possible in this state till now.”Another analyst, Shyam Shanmuga, said that elections in Tamil Nadu cannot be won on caste equations alone.“Caste equations are always at play in rural Tamil Nadu. But in urban areas, it does not matter. Tamil Nadu is a heavily urbanized state. Therefore, elections cannot be won on caste equations alone. If one caste mobilizes in a particular rural constituency, there is counter-mobilisation,” Shanmuga told TOI.He said, “Therefore, the chances of winning are for candidates who are caste-neutral and attract all castes. The BJP is mostly seen as a Brahmin upper caste party. It is unable to mobilize a particular OBC caste. Even when TN BJP leaders from particular influential communities were made state presidents, the BJP could not win.”Why does caste matter in Tamil Nadu?dalitsDalits constitute about 19% to 21% of the state’s population. They are spread throughout the state, with their population being higher in districts like Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tiruvallur and Madurai.The larger Dravidian political movement, which has developed over the past two centuries and given rise to parties such as the Dravida Kazhagam, DMK and AIADMK, has historically reached out to Dalits.ThevarsMainly concentrated in southern Tamil Nadu districts like Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Sivagangai and Ramanathapuram, Thevars are a politically influential community and fall under the MBC category. Many prominent Thevar leaders are part of AIADMK.Former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s close aide VK Sasikala and rebel leader O Panneerselvam both belong to this community.Thevars played a notable political role during the British period. Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar, a respected leader and freedom fighter, was associated with the Indian National Congress and later the Forward Bloc. His birth anniversary is celebrated as “Thevar Jayanti”. It is said that this community actively participated in the armed struggle under the leadership of Subhash Chandra Bose.The Thevar population is estimated to be around 10% to 12%.VanniyarThe Vanniyars, who are largely based in northern Tamil Nadu, are among the largest and most politically active Most Backward Classes (MBCs) in the state. Tamil Nadu classifies OBCs into BC and MBC groups. The Vanniyars are primarily a farming community and have retained large-scale land ownership despite industrialization. Members of the community are often named in connection with anti-Dalit violence in the state.Politically, the Vanniyars are represented by the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), which is currently part of the BJP-led NDA. Founded and led by S. Ramadoss, the party has wielded influence due to the community’s numerical strength, organizational structure and sustained political mobilization. Ramadoss began organizing the Vanniyars in the 1980s and is credited with improving educational outcomes within the community since the 1990s.Vanniyars are estimated to constitute about 12% to 15% of the population of Tamil Nadu, with a strong presence in Villupuram, Cuddalore, parts of Tiruvannamalai and Vellore, and lesser concentrations in Salem and Dindigul.NadarNadars are a trading community with strong influence in commerce and politics. Their leaders have successfully transformed economic power into political influence by transcending party lines.In 1921, the community established The Nadar Bank Limited, which was renamed Tamilnad Mercantile Bank in 1962. In 1922, P Ayya Nadar and A Shanmuga Nadar traveled to Kolkata to learn the safety matchbox manufacturing process, leading to the establishment of manual matchbox production under the ‘Bengal Lights’ brand in Sivakasi. This city remains a major center of firecracker manufacturing.The most prominent Nadar leader in the political history of Tamil Nadu is K Kamaraj, a senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister. Along with Hindu Nadars, Christian Nadars also have a significant presence in institutions and power structures.The community population is estimated to be around 4% to 6%, with a concentration in southern Tamil Nadu districts like Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar.goundersGounders fall in the Backward Class (BC) category and constitute about 5% to 7% of the population of Tamil Nadu. They are largely concentrated in western Tamil Nadu or the Kongu Nadu region, which includes districts such as Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Namakkal, Karur and Salem.Primarily dependent on agriculture and allied sectors, the community is also known for its entrepreneurial presence and influence in regional industries. Prominent figures include industrialist and philanthropist N Mahalingam, who was involved in several educational initiatives.After the death of J Jayalalitha, Edappadi K Palaniswami, a Gounder, took control of the AIADMK, bypassing the Sasikala family and O Panneerselvam, and handed over key cabinet portfolios to community leaders.The Election Commission is expected to announce assembly elections in Tamil Nadu in April-May this year. In the 2021 assembly elections, DMK won 133 seats, while Congress won 18 seats. Meanwhile, AIADMK won 66 seats with 33.5% votes; PMK won five seats with 3.8% vote share, while VCK won four seats with 1% vote share.
