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AIADMK rules out return to NDA as former leaders join BJP
Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai, who was said to be a reason for AIADMK severing its ties with the BIP, claimed that Shah only said it’s open to alliance with everyone without specifying any party
The AIADMK on Wednesday ruled out any possibility of an alliance with the BJP, a statement that came on a day 16 leaders of the Dravidian party joined the BJP in New Delhi and union home minister Amit Shah in an interview to a local daily did not rule out the possibility of a rapprochement.
Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai, who was said to be a reason for AIADMK severing its ties with the BIP, claimed that Shah only said it’s open to alliance with everyone without specifying any party. The AIADMK had quit the alliance last September
“Our stand is we have shut the door for the BJP for the alliance,” said AIADMK’s organising secretary D Jayakumar. “They can keep their doors open but our doors are shut. We won’t take a step back” Jayakumar added.
In an interview published in a Tamil daily on Wednesday, to a question on whether the BJP was forming a Third Front in Tamil Nadu since the alliance with the AIADMK is ruled out, Shah said, “All doors remain open for alliance. Discussions are on-going.”
Since their falling out both AIADMK and BJP have been wooing other allies who were with them in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) since 2019 such as the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK).
Leaders expelled from the AIADMK, O Panneerselvam and TTV Dhinakaran, have also been leaning towards the BJP. “It shows the union home minister’s generous heart,” said Panneerselvam.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) told reporters that he did not see Shah’s interview. “I didn’t see it this morning, if I see it, I will respond,”
Of the 18 leaders from other parties who joined the BJP, 13 are former MLAs and one MP from the AIADMK, former legislators each from the DMDK, Congress and DMK and a former MLA who was with the AIADMK and later switched to the DMK. They were inducted into the BJP leaders including Annamalai and Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. “Alliances will take some more time to take shape…He (Shah) said that the doors were open for all parties,”Annamalai said in Delhi. “Everyone knows Mr Modi is going to win again.”
In the run up to the Lok Sabha elections, BJP leaders say the Dravidian leaders joining them adds to their strength in the southern state where they have not been able to make a mark. On Monday Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is pitching for a third straight term said in the Lok Sabha that the BJP will win at least 370 seats and in the NDA will cross the 400 mark.
