Amid speculation that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) might allocate a Rajya Sabha seat to one of its allies, the party has decided to retain both seats for itself. On Sunday, June 1, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami announced former MLA IS Inbadurai and M Dhanapal as the party’s candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for June 19.
The AIADMK has also confirmed its alliance with the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Addressing the media, AIADMK Deputy General Secretary KP Munusamy stated that the DMDK remains a part of the AIADMK-led alliance and that a Rajya Sabha seat will be allocated to the DMDK in 2026.
“Our General Secretary has committed to the DMDK that a Rajya Sabha seat will be allocated to them, and we are standing by that promise,” Munusamy said.
Sources in the AIADMK told The News Minute that the party leadership decided to retain both Rajya Sabha seats for its own members, calling it a strategic move in the party’s interest. This decision comes even as DMDK leaders had urged the AIADMK to honour an earlier agreement, reportedly made during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, to allocate a Rajya Sabha seat to the DMDK.
On May 31, DMDK treasurer LK Sudheesh met with Edappadi K Palaniswami and held hour-long discussions regarding the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
When asked whether the DMDK had agreed to the new arrangement, KP Munusamy said, “We are making this firm announcement only after holding talks with the DMDK leadership.”
Responding to the development, DMDK General Secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth said the AIADMK had promised five Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat to the DMDK during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. “This was not just an oral agreement—it was also given to us in writing. We didn’t reveal it earlier because it was up to the AIADMK to announce it, and they have honoured that,” she said.
However, when asked about the AIADMK’s announcement confirming the alliance, Premalatha remained non-committal. She said, “The AIADMK has fulfilled its responsibility keeping the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election in mind. We will do the same. After all, every political party acts with elections in mind.”
AIADMK sources told TNM that a Rajya Sabha seat would be allocated to the DMDK in April 2026. That year, the terms of six Rajya Sabha MPs will come to an end – Tiruchi Siva, Kanimozhi Somu, Anthiyur Selvaraj, NR Elango, GK Vasan, and AIADMK’s M Thambidurai. Based on the current composition of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, four of these seats are expected to go to the DMK and two to the AIADMK.