Palaniswami rules out power-sharing in TN with BJP after 2026 polls, contradicts NDA ally: Report
Chennai: Days after the AIADMK formally rejoined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) made it clear that no coalition government will be formed in Tamil Nadu following the 2026 Assembly elections, directly contradicting a recent assertion by senior BJP leader Amit Shah.
Palaniswami's remarks contradict Shah’s statement made in Chennai on April 11, where the Union Minister had said that a coalition government led by the AIADMK would soon come to power in the state.
Addressing reporters at the State Secretariat, EPS asserted that Shah’s remarks were being misinterpreted. “He didn’t say it would be a coalition government. You are misinterpreting and trying to play tricks. Please stop that,” Palaniswami was quoted as saying by The New Indian Express.
Clarifying further, the former Chief Minister emphasised that Shah’s remarks merely indicated that the “AIADMK-BJP alliance” would form the government, and not that there would be a power-sharing arrangement. Palaniswami emphasised that while the alliance would be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the national level, it would be led by him in Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, senior AIADMK leaders told The Indian Express that EPS’s clarification was prompted by significant internal feedback. “There were several calls and feedback messages from our leaders and well-wishers who believed Shah’s speech hinted at some form of power-sharing. That’s why he had to say it clearly on Wednesday,” IE report quoted one party leader as saying.
Though the BJP has not issued an official response to EPS’s comments, party insiders reportedly said EPS’s stand was expected and no offence was taken.
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Dense fog envelops Delhi-NCR; air quality remains 'very poor'
New Delhi (PTI): Dense fog enveloped large parts of Delhi-NCR on Thursday morning, significantly reducing visibility and disrupting traffic across the region.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), dense fog conditions prevailed over the city based on the 6 am observation. Visibility at Palam Airport dropped sharply to 150 metres, while Safdarjung Airport reported visibility of 200 metres.
The dense fog affected road traffic in several areas, with vehicles seen moving slowly on major arterial roads and highways connecting Delhi with neighbouring cities, such as Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Noida. Morning commuters faced delays as low visibility prompted motorists to exercise caution.
According to the officials, the current visibility at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Palam is 100 metres. General visibility is expected to increase to 150 metres in the next 30 minutes and will gradually improve thereafter. No further reductions are expected.
Weather officials said foggy conditions are likely to persist during early mornings in the coming days as winter intensifies. The IMD has forecast dense fog on Thursday and Friday.
Meanwhile, air quality in the national capital remained in the 'very poor' category, with the air quality index (AQI) recorded at 358, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
On the weather front, the minimum temperature in the national capital settled at 9.0 degrees Celsius, which is 0.9 notches above the season's average. The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 23 degrees Celsius, the IMD said.
The relative humidity was recorded at 100 per cent at 8.30 am.
As per the CPCB classification, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor' and 401 to 500 'severe'.
