NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, SEPT 28
The BJP, which was initially dazed over the AIADMK’s decision to break up ties with it in Tamil Nadu, will discuss the issue and the other political developments at the party’s core committee and executive committee meeting soon, a senior leader said on Thursday.
Terming the Dravidian major’s announcement to part ways with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance as “unfortunate”, BJP national co-in-charge of Tamil Nadu Dr Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy said the matter will be discussed at the party’s state core committee and executive committee meeting soon.
- Only those senior leaders already in touch with the AIADMK may be asked for a report on ground reality and added that the decision on alliance will be made known only by the high command: Senior leader
- AIADMK will lead an alliance sans BJP for the upcoming elections: KP Munusamy
“I can’t officially comment on the alliance. The Central leadership is watching the development in Tamil Nadu and they will take a call,” Reddy said.
He, however, remained tight slipped when asked if the party leadership has sought a “status report” on the AIADMK parting ways with the BJP, from Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Another senior leader in the BJP indicated that only those senior leaders already in touch with the AIADMK may be asked for a report on ground reality and added that the decision on alliance will be made known only by the high command.
“At present, we are involved in observing the Seva Pakhwada fortnight from September 17 to October 2 (coinciding with the 73rd birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting of the respective committees will be convened after October 2,” Reddy, a former MLC, said.
The AIADMK called off its ties with the BJP and announced on Monday that it will lead a separate alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha poll.
Reports had claimed that senior AIADMK leaders had, earlier this month, called upon BJP national president JP Nadda and asked him to act against Annamalai for targeting their party icons in Tamil Nadu. However, either side was yet to issue a statement after the meeting.
AIADMK’s decision to exit the NDA, as announced on September 25, was met with celebration by the party’s cadres who believed that they were losing their grip on the Dravadian and minority community voters due to the association with the BJP.
The state-ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), however, has alleged that the AIADMK is indulging in a “drama” and will patch-up with the BJP in 2024.
Munuswamy rebutted the charge, saying that the DMK is making such speculations as they are jittery since the AIADMK severed its ties with the BJP. “We will not join the NDA at any point, and instead create a new alliance headed by Palaniswami,” he told reporters.
Our decision to snap ties with BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is here to stay, not just for next year’s Parliamentary election but also for the Assembly election in 2026, said party deputy general secretary KP Munusamy in Krishnagiri on Thursday.
“There was lot of commentary in the intervening days about our decision to cut ties, and this meet is to put to rest those speculations,” he told journalists.
