CHENNAI: Even as filing of nominations begins in Tamil Nadu for urban local bodies, the AIADMK-BJP alliance remains a talking point.
The AIADMK on Friday maintained that the alliance with the BJP continues “as of now,” while the state unit of the BJP said that its core committee had delegated the authority to decide on alliances to its president K Annamalai.
Annamalai is likely to make an announcement on continuing the alliance on Saturday morning, upon receiving a word from the party’s national leadership. The BJP functionaries at the party meeting on Friday were divided over continuing alliance with the AIADMK.
AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami held a meeting with the senior leaders and functionaries at the party headquarters on the alliance and preparedness.
“Our alliance with the BJP continues as of now. They (BJP) have to approach our party high command regarding seats. An appropriate decision will be taken by our leaders when they approach,” AIADMK steering committee member and former minister C Ve Shanmugam said.
The AIADMK high command has also given instructions to its district functionaries to make local adjustments with allies when they approach for seats. Allies, P Sivagami of Samuga Samathuva Padai and M Jagan Moorthy of Puratchi Bharatham dropped in AIADMK headquarters to extend support. G K Vasan’s TMC, another ally, has been engaged in talks at the district-level.
The AIADMK’s ‘wait and watch’ also comes against the backdrop of the acerbic remarks made by BJP floor leader and former AIADMK minister, Nainar Nagendran against the AIADMK during the recent protest. Nagendran said the AIADMK “lacked spine and manliness” in the assembly. A section in the AIADMK is against continuing the alliance with the BJP, citing hostility of minorities.
Emerging from a meeting at their party headquarters, BJP senior leader and former Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan told reporters that the party was prepared for anything. “Annamalai has been authorized to decide on alliances,” Radhakrishnan said. BJP TN co-incharge P Sudhakar Reddy told TOI that AIADMK was part of the NDA and the BJP shared a cordial relationship with NDA allies.
