E-Paper
No alliance with BJP in Tamil Nadu now, says AIADMK. ‘Annamalai doesn’t wish…'
AIADMK announced that there is no alliance with the BJP as of now and a decision in this regard will be taken during the elections.
D Jayakumar, a senior leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), on Monday announced that there is no alliance with the BJP as of now and a decision in this regard will be taken during the elections.
“The BJP is not in alliance with AIADMK. We will decide about the alliance during the elections only,” said Jayakumar.
Jayakumar added that this is the party's stand and not his personal opinion, and although the BJP wanted an alliance with the AIADMK but K Annamalai (Tamil Nadu BJP president) does not wish the same.
"We can't accept continuous criticism on our leaders. Annamalai already criticised our leader Jayalalithaa. At that time, we passed a resolution against Annamalai. He should have stopped this. He is criticising Anna, Periyar and the general secretary. No cadre would accept this. Tomorrow we have to work on the field. So without any option, we announced this. There won't be any impact on us with this decision. We are confident of our victory," news agency ANI quoted Jayakumar as saying.
AIADMK-BJP bickering
The bickering between allies AIADMK and BJP in Tamil Nadu over late Dravidian stalwart CN Annadurai peaked on Monday as the former trained its guns against Annamalai, saying he was only keen to “promote” himself and was therefore targeting late Dravidian stalwarts Annadurai, fondly addressed as Anna (elder brother), EV Ramasamy Periyar and late AIADMK veterans MG Ramachandran (MGR) and J Jayalalithaa.
Responding, the BJP said the Dravidian party “has a problem”, with its growth as well as the growing stature of a young leader like Annamalai.
The development came days after AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami met Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
Row over Annamalai's remarks
While Annamalai had made critical remarks about AIADMK leaders including the late J Jayalalithaa in the past, the party had sought that the former be restrained.
“Should we tolerate all this criticism of our leaders? Why should we carry you? The BJP can't set foot here. Your votebank is known. You are known because of us,” Jayakumar told reporters while lashing out at the BJP and its state unit president.
Asked if this was his personal opinion, Jayakumar asked, "Have I ever spoken to you in that capacity? I only talk what the party decides."
Annadurai: The founder of DMK
A tall leader, Annadurai founded the DMK in 1949 and in 1967 heralded Tamil Nadu's first non-Congress government post-independence and is respected across party lines.
MGR, who founded the AIADMK in 1972, named it the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, as he had great reverence for Annadurai.
Jayakumar said Anna was a respected scholar who ushered in TN's growth and that "we revere him.
"Our party has his (Annadurai) name. To promote himself, he belittles Periyar. He didn't budge even after condemnation. It is against coalition dharma; no AIADMK worker will accept this. Annamalai is unfit to be a leader and he is keen only about promoting him. What right have you got to talk about Periyar, EPS (Palaniswami), Amma (Jayalalithaa) and MGR. AIADMK workers will never accept this," Jayakumar added.
"He is arrogant. Alliance (between the two) is not there, can be decided only during election. Suddenly he speaks about our leaders-- how can we accept criticism of leaders. If he is not budging even after (AIADMK) taking up with (BJP) high command, then it means such things are happening with their knowledge," he said.
The AIADMK had nothing to lose over the alliance-related development. "They are the losers," he said about the BJP. He repeatedly claimed the BJP and Annamalai will fare badly electorally without the AIADMK.
He warned that if Annamalai doesn't cease from targeting such tall leaders, he will be given a fitting reply.
Responding to the matter, Amar Prasad Reddy, close aide of Annamalai, said the AIADMK was unable to stand the growing popularity of the BJP and its state chief, and therefore made such an announcement.
"Annamalai is a principled politician, he cannot bend for corruption or wrong policies. He was only referring to some historical event," regarding Annadurai, Reddy, BJP State President, Sports and Skill Development Cell, told news agency PTI.
Annamalai also spoke highly of Annadurai, he added.
What happened between AIADMK and BJP?
AIADMK and BJP have been sparring over the last few days over Annamalai's criticism of Annadurai.
On September 11, leading a demonstration against Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister PK Sekar Babu for his participation in the 'Sanatana Dharma' eradication conference here, Annamalai had made a comment on Annadurai.
The BJP leader said Anna had in the 1950s made a critical remark in Madurai against the Hindu faith at an event, and that it was staunchly opposed by freedom fighter Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar.
Senior AIADMK leader and former minister CV Shanmugam had earlier said there is no basis or proof for what Annamalai has claimed and that the BJP leader has no locus standi to comment on Anna.
Former ministers and AIADMK leaders Jayakumar and Sellur K Raju also had strongly opposed Annamalai's remark. It was against civility to speak ill of departed leaders, they had said.
Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore on Sunday, Annamalai asked if what he had said about Anna was wrong. He asserted that he is in politics to protect Sanatana Dharma and Tamil culture.
He insisted that he did not speak ill of Anna and had only mentioned an event from the pages of history and the manner in which Muthuramalinga Thevar had defended Sanatana Dharma.
To substantiate his claim, the BJP leader said, he had copies of news reports that appeared in the month of June in 1956 in a top national English daily.
Shanmugam had said as Annamalai had criticised the Dravidian icon even while the AIADMK and BJP were in alliance, it led to a suspicion that he may have an ulterior motive, and wondered whether the BJP leader, by "joining hands with the DMK," does not want the NDA to win the Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu has 39 Lok Sabha seats while neighbouring Puducherry has one.
(With inputs from PTI)
