AIADMK-BJP alliance continues, say Amit Shah, EPS

The comments by Shah and EPS come close on the heels of statements by TN BJP chief K Annamalai that his party was ready to 'come out of the cage and fly on its own'

BJP leader Amit Shah and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami have said that the two parties continue to be in an alliance, amid strain in their ties over a slew of political developments in Tamil Nadu.

Shah, who is also Union Home Minister, told an event organized by Network 18 in New Delhi on Wednesday night that BJP is in an alliance with AIADMK.

Read | No trouble in alliance with BJP, all is well: AIADMK

“Our party structure is weak, but we have been trying to build our party. We have reached several villages and booths in the past few years. The alliance parties support us in places where we are weak,” Shah said. In response to another question, Shah said, “We have an alliance with AIADMK.”

In Chennai, Palaniswami told reporters on Thursday that there was no confusion in the alliance between AIADMK and BJP. “We are in an alliance with the BJP. We were in an alliance even for the Erode (east) by-polls and our alliance will continue for 2024 polls,” Palaniswami said.

The comments by Shah and Palaniswami assume significance as they come close on the heels of statements by Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai that his party was ready to “come out of the cage and fly on its own.” The former Karnataka-cadre IPS officer has been voicing his opinion in party forums that the BJP has to start fighting elections independently in Tamil Nadu so as to emerge stronger to rule the state.

Annamalai had last week met Shah, BJP chief J P Nadda, and General Secretary (Organisation) B L Santhosh in New Delhi to explain the strategy to be adopted by the BJP in TN in the 2024 general elections. The meeting came a week after Annamalai is believed to have told party leaders that he would quit as state unit chief if the Central leadership decided to continue the alliance with AIADMK.

BJP is in an alliance with AIADMK in Tamil Nadu since 2019 but the combine hasn’t won any polls so far. While AIADMK second-rung leaders believe BJP is a “burden”, the saffron party functionaries want the outfit to go it alone to test its real strength.

Annamalai’s statement came amid a war of words between the BJP and AIADMK over the latter admitting members of the IT wing after quitting the former.

It began with AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami welcoming C T R Nirmal Kumar, hours after he quit the BJP blaming Annamalai, into the party. The state BJP took objection to the development, which led to a verbal duel between the alliance partners.