NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, DECEMBER 5
Days after praising DMK chief M K Stalin’s leadership qualities, Tamil Nadu BJP vice president BT Arasakumar joined the DMK on Thursday in the presence of party president MK Stalin at the party headquarters in Arivalayam. Ahead of local body elections, it is a major setback for the BJP in Tamil Nadu.
Though earlier he had denied possibility of joining the DMK, Arasakumar said that he had lost self-respect and hence decided to join Stalin’s party. This is his comeback to DMK.
On December 1, Arasakumar had praised Stalin during a wedding function in Pudukottai. Speaking at the wedding, Arasakumar equated Stalin with MGR and wished to see him as the next Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. He came under severe criticism for this remark by his own party members on social media and he was asked to give an explanation on the issue.
“I was abused in the last few days ever since my speech went viral. I did explain my stance to BJP leader Muralidhar Rao who asked me to wait for a few days. I am not going to criticise the BJP but BJP workers should understand the truth and then take a decision. There is no meaning for me to continue in that party especially after losing my self-respect. My well-wishers said that they don’t want me to be with the BJP and therefore, I decided to go back to my mother organisation which is the DMK. I’m happy to join it,” Arasakumar said.
“DMK is my mother party and that is why I joined it. I have a good relationship with MK Stalin for the last 20 years. He is a quality leader and if he gives me an opportunity, I will accept it,” he added.
The Tamil Nadu unit of BJP had sought disciplinary action against Arasakumar on Monday after a video of him praising Stalin went viral, where he was heard saying that a ripe time would come when DMK president M K Stalin would become chief minister of the state.
Taking serious note of the matter, the party state unit sent a report to the BJP high command seeking disciplinary action against Arasakumar.
The press release issued by the party’s state general secretary KS Narendran further stated that Arasakumar will be barred from participating in media debates or any BJP event till the party high command decides on action to be taken against Arasakumar.
