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BJP treads cautiously with AIADMK ahead of ’24 polls
BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu, who spoke to HT on condition of anonymity, said they are expecting the central leadership to step in with an olive branch to iron out the differences between the two partners that could wreck the party’s electoral plans for the 2024 general elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finds itself in a precarious situation in Tamil Nadu where it is eyeing an expansion, ahead of the 2024 general elections, but without antagonising ally All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).
Even as BJP’s state unit president K Annamalai on Wednesday went on record to rule out any friction between the allies over a dozen party leaders switching sides to the AIADMK, party functionaries in Delhi said the central leadership is “concerned” over the developments unfolding in the coastal state.
BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu, who spoke to HT on condition of anonymity, said they are expecting the central leadership to step in with an olive branch to iron out the differences between the two partners that could wreck the party’s electoral plans for the 2024 general elections.
On Wednesday, 13 members of the BJP’s IT Cell quit the party to join the AIADMK, days after former state IT wing chief CTR Nirmal Kumar left on a bitter note, alleging that the state leadership had sidestepped the interests of the party cadre.
On Kumar’s exit, Annamalai had said, “...thousands of people join a party and hundreds of people leave a party. That’s how politics is supposed to be.”
While the central leadership has thrown its weight behind Annamalai who took over as state unit president in 2021, a senior leader said there is a “concern” over the “deteriorating” ties between the allies.
“There is some concern over how the state leadership will need to be guided. While we see the party growing in the state because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity, there is no denying that we still need to nurture our alliance with the AIADMK. And it rests on the state leadership to hold the alliance together,” said a second leader, also seeking anonymity.
The leader added that Annamalai’s different style of functioning, as compared to previous state unit presidents, has raised eyebrows as some party old timers complained of not being consulted and overlooked.
“Some people who are not accustomed to his style have had difficulties with him. With the AIADMK, too, there was some difference of opinion, some call it ego issues, with both the EPS (E Palaniswami) and OPS (Panneerselvam) factions,” said the second leader.
Annamalai, a former IPS officer, is known for his combative posturing, and sometimes aggressive stance on issues. Party leaders quoted above concurred that his leadership has helped BJP find a toehold in the political narrative and drive the agenda. But there is a concern that if the party does not stitch the differences with the AIADMK in time, its fight against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) will not be easy.
“He is unlike previous leaders such as Tamilsai Soundararajan, Pon Radhakrishnana and L Ganesan who are all governors now. They had to run the party when AIADMK was in power in the state and Congress was in power at the Centre. When Annamalai took over, DMK was in power in Tamil Nadu and BJP at the Centre, and for him to take an aggressive posture and be in an attack mode has worked to his advantage as people like a strong opponent. But our enemy is not the AIADMK, but the DMK,” the first leader said.
The first leader also pointed out that instances of BJP youth wing cadre protesting against EPS after the state unit president accused him of “poaching” BJP leaders did not go down well with a section of BJP leaders. “The AIADMK leadership has also changed, so now we need to work with the new set of leaders,” the leader said.
While the BJP has tried to bring together the two AIADMK factions – led by EPS and OPS – that were at odds over control of the party, and was seen to be closer to OPS, it is now maintaining a distance from the party’s internal issues.
