Accusing the Modi government of failing to protect the rights of Tamil people, the Vaiko-led MDMK on Monday quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre.
The alliance, which was stitched ahead of this year’s Lok Sabha elections, broke after the MDMK adopted a unanimous resolution at a meeting of its district secretaries here. The MDMK felt that the NDA had ignored several issues in the state, including its trouble with Karnataka over sharing water from the Cauvery river and the Mullaperiyar reservoir row with Kerala.
This is not the first time the party’s alliance with the BJP has fallen apart. Tie ups between the two parties for the 1998 and 1999 Lok Sabha elections had also broken.
At the meeting, MDMK officials criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conveying his good wishes to Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse at the recent Saarc summit in Nepal. Rajapakse has been accused of genocide during the final phase of the LTTE war in 2009. The party alleged that the Modi government is not following the policies of Atal Behari Vajpayee, who headed the erstwhile BJP regime, on the Tamils issue.
Questioning the Centre’s silence on Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah statement that the Hogenakkal belonged to his state, the MDMK said the Centre had not taken any steps to prevent the neighbouring state’s move to construct two new dams across the Cauvery at Mekadatu.
It also condemned the government’s approach in handling the vexed Mullaperiyar issue and failing to resolve the trouble between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. “Taking into consideration all these points and aspects, there is no point in continuing with the NDA. Therefore, the party has decided to come out as ally,” the MDMK said.
BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu, including state unit chief Tamilisai Soundararajan, said the MDMK’s decision would not have any affect on the NDA. “It is not a loss to BJP. It will be huge loss for Vaiko only,” she said.
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