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Chennai: In a significant move, the AIADMK of Tamil Nadu has severed its ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), just months ahead of the national elections. This decision comes in the wake of a dispute over comments made by K Annamalai, the state head of the BJP, which the AIADMK alleged were a deliberate attempt to tarnish the reputation of its current and past leaders.
AIADMK Deputy General Secretary KP Munusamy made the announcement of the split after a unanimous resolution passed during a meeting of MPs, MLAs, and district leaders in Chennai. Munusamy affirmed, “AIADMK is severing all ties with BJP and NDA effective today. The state leadership of BJP has been making unwarranted remarks about our former leaders for the past year.”
Munusamy further stated, “The AIADMK will contest the 2024 elections with its allies.”
Sasirekha, spokesperson for AIAMK, added, “We are adopting this resolution based on the collective opinion of our members. This marks a moment of great happiness for us. We eagerly look forward to facing the upcoming elections, be it at the Parliamentary or Assembly level, on our own.”
Party supporters celebrated the decision by lighting firecrackers and distributing sweets. Venu, one of the jubilant members, exclaimed, “This is a monumental decision. Our workers wholeheartedly welcome it.” G Venkatesh remarked, “The BJP alliance hindered us from gaining support from minority communities. Now, we are confident of winning all 39 seats in the next year’s Lok Sabha election.”
Responding to the development, Mr. Annamalai, currently on a foot march in Coimbatore, stated, “Our national leadership will provide a response.”
Earlier, he had asserted his position, arguing that his statements were grounded in historical context and should be considered in the context of the controversy surrounding Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks on Sanatan Dharm.
In a final attempt to salvage strained relations, a meeting was held in Delhi on Saturday. However, the AIADMK firmly reiterated their demand – that Mr. Annamalai either apologize for his comments regarding the late former Chief Minister CN Annadurai or be replaced by a “non-controversial leader.” CN Annadurai was a mentor to AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran.
While a senior AIADMK leader described the discussions as “cordial,” remarks from the BJP’s M Chakravarthy painted a different picture. He stated, “… the leadership is hesitant to consider replacing Annamalai, as he has played a pivotal role in revitalizing the party in Tamil Nadu. He merely made a reference to Annadurai during the Sanatan Dharma dispute.”
The alliance had teetered on the brink last week after D Jayakumar of the AIADMK declared, “We will decide on the alliance before the election. Annamalai is not fit to be the BJP’s state president. He only speaks ill of late leaders for self-projection.”
Chennai, Tamil Nadu | K P Munusamy, AIADMK Deputy Coordinator says, "AIADMK unanimously passed a resolution in the meeting. AIADMK is breaking all ties with BJP and NDA alliance from today. The state leadership of the BJP has been continuously making unnecessary remarks about our… pic.twitter.com/HSx3NJKKOJ
— ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2023
Mr. Annamalai had previously been critical of the late former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, an iconic and revered figure within the AIADMK. At that time, the southern party had called for restraint on the part of the state BJP chief. Mr. Annamalai has frequently provoked both the AIADMK, their sole ally in the state, and their common rival, the DMK.
His comments have led to speculation that the BJP aims to carve a niche for itself in Tamil Nadu, a state where it has yet to make electoral inroads, ahead of the upcoming election.
In March, he also expressed reservations about aligning with the AIADMK, much to the chagrin of senior leaders. Jayakumar stated, “Annamalai does not desire an alliance with AIADMK, even though BJP workers favor it. Should we tolerate criticism of our leaders? Why should we carry you? BJP can’t make strides here…”
During Jayalalithaa’s tenure, she maintained an amicable association with the BJP but typically kept them at arm’s length. She never forged a formal alliance, as she believed it didn’t align with the state’s political landscape dominated by Dravidian ideologies.
The AIADMK has faced resounding defeats in elections where it partnered with the BJP, including the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 Assembly polls. This has led them to view the BJP as a liability in the run-up to the 2024 elections.In 2021, the DMK-Congress coalition ousted the AIADMK from power as they secured only 75 seats, down from 136 five years prior. Similarly, in the last national election, the AIADMK saw a sharp decline from 37 seats to just one, while the DMK surged from zero to 39.
