NDA announces seat-sharing deal: Why BJP is the real winner ahead of Tamil Nadu polls battle

New Delhi: The National Democratic Alliance on Monday finalized the seat allocation arrangements for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, allocating 27 seats to the BJP, 18 to Pattali Makkal Katchi and 11 to Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazagam in the April 23 polls.Under the deal, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which leads the NDA in the state, made room for its allies in a calibrated distribution aimed at balancing election results with alliance cohesion. “As per the NDA election agreement, the AIADMK has allotted 27 seats to the BJP, 18 seats to the PMK and 11 seats to the AMMK in the April 23 assembly elections,” PTI reported.

Although the BJP is contesting fewer seats compared to the AIADMK, its allocation is seen as strategic.In the last election, the PPP contested 20 seats and won 4, while the Janata Party contested 23 seats and won 5 seats.​​Data from previous elections show that although the Bharatiya Janata Party’s vote share is small, only 2.6%, its competitive vote share is relatively high, reaching 34.5%, which shows that the BJP’s performance is concentrated in specific constituencies.In comparison, the AIADMK contested 191 seats and won 66 with 33.5 per cent vote share and a disputed vote share of 40.8 per cent, underscoring its dominance within the alliance.PMK got 3.8% vote share and 37.9% disputed vote share.The BJP’s limited but concentrated seat allotment is expected to maximize its chances of winning the bid while leveraging the AIADMK’s broader organizational strength. The arrangement also reflects the party’s attempt to expand its influence in Tamil Nadu without overstretching its resources.The revised seat allocation plan comes as the NDA looks to optimize its electoral prospects in Tamil Nadu, a state where regional parties have historically dominated the political landscape.