BN-PN tie-up: risky path ahead as Non-Muslim voters may reject BN for joining PAS!
Seremban: As the nomination process for the Negeri Sembilan state assembly elections approaches on July 18, 2026, initial predictions suggested the Barisan Nasional (BN) would contest all 36 seats, with media speculations that BN would allocate four seats to the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC).
However, in the first round of candidate announcements, BN introduced lists for only 25 seats, allocating just two to the MIC: Seremban Jaya and Sri Tanjong. Thinalan Rajagopalu, a lawyer with a deep lineage in the party, will contest in Seremban Jaya. He is the son of the late Rajagopalu, a prominent former member of both the Negeri Sembilan state assembly and its executive council (EXCO).
Meanwhile, in Sri Tanjong, the MIC has fielded Achuthan to challenge Pakatan Harapan’s Dr Rajasekaran from PKR. Rajasekaran, who won the seat in 2023, is seeking a second-term mandate to retain the seat.
This left the fate of the other two anticipated seats uncertain until a subsequent, unexpected announcement revealed that the BN has entered into a strategic electoral pact with Perikatan Nasional (PN). Under this agreement, BN will maintain its 25 seats, while the remaining 11 seats will be contested exclusively by the PN alliance, with no overlapping opposition from BN.
This development has caused visible concern within sections of the non-muslim communities, with social media posts reflecting anxiety over the BN’s implicit cooperation with the Islamist party, PAS, a core member of PN.
Out of the 11 seats allocated to Perikatan Nasional, two are represented by Indian candidates: one from the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP), a constituent of PN, and another from the Wawasan party led by Hamzah Zainuddin. This alignment effectively shows Gerakan, MIPP, the Wawasan party, and PAS campaigning on common ground across different seats, while excluding Bersatu, one of the founding parties of the PN coalition.
Whether this political manoeuvre will enable the BN and Perikatan Nasional to maximise victories across the state, or if the backlash from this alliance will cost them votes, remains to be seen when the final election results are declared.
