While Jayalalitha’s AIDMK is leading the polls in Tamil Nadu with 35 seats of the total 37 due to the strong show of the Alliance led by BJP, political analysts’ state that Jayalalitha will have marginal bargaining power with the Central Government under the Premiership of Narendra Modi.
Bharatiya Janata Party is set to earn enough parliamentary seats to establish an independent government without forming a coalition with smaller parties. This has significantly reduced the bargaining power Tamil Nadu has had over the Indian Central Government in the last decade.
It is also significant that a rift has emerged between Modi and Jayalalitha during the run up to the polls with them criticizing each other publicly. The sparring between Jayalalitha and Modi has taken centre stage which would makes it highly unlikely that a coalition would form between the BJP and AIADMK.
J Jayalalitha of the AIADMK, is the present Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and was a popular actress in the film industry, before she joined politics. The former actor turned politician described her party’s stellar performance in the elections as unprecedented and historic. She said, “I wish the new Government and the new PM well, hope the new Government will be friendly towards Tamil Nadu.”
