AIADMK-BJP Alliance Break-Up Is Final
In a significant move, Edappadi K Palaniswami, the chief of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), addressed the public following the party’s decision to terminate its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Palaniswami made it clear that this decision was not his alone but was the result of collective input from two crore party workers.
Addressing the media, Palaniswami stated, “Two crore party workers shared their sentiments in a consultative meeting. It was on that basis that AIADMK took the decision to exit the NDA (National Democratic Alliance).”
He emphasized that this decision wasn’t made unilaterally as the party’s general secretary but rather as a resolution adopted by the AIADMK cadre, emphasizing its finality. The breakup was attributed to the party’s reluctance to support issues they disagreed with due to alliance obligations, a situation they no longer wish to endure.
Looking ahead to the 2024 general election, Palaniswami outlined the AIADMK’s focus on fighting for the rights of Tamil Nadu’s people. He addressed questions about the party’s choice for a Prime Minister candidate, highlighting that states like Odisha, West Bengal, Kerala, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh in 2019 did not project PM candidates. Instead, they focused on protecting their states’ rights, and AIADMK intends to do the same by seeking votes and representing the people’s interests in Tamil Nadu.
Palaniswami reiterated the party’s commitment to be the voice of Tamil Nadu citizens in Parliament. He stressed that they had won elections based on the votes of the people from the state, and they would uphold this ideology. Additionally, he expressed readiness to advocate for minority communities, such as Muslims and Christians, if they faced any issues.
The AIADMK’s decision to end its alliance with the BJP stemmed from a dispute involving remarks made by the state BJP president, K Annamalai, regarding DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comments on Sanatana Dharma. Annamalai’s statements, viewed as an attempt to establish a distinct political identity for the BJP, triggered a confrontation with the AIADMK. The party demanded an apology from Annamalai, but he refused, leading to the dissolution of the alliance.
A last-ditch meeting to salvage the alliance failed, cementing the decision to part ways. This announcement quashed any speculation about the alliance’s revival before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The AIADMK had faced successive defeats in elections fought in alliance with the BJP, including the 2019 Lok Sabha and state elections. Tensions in the alliance were evident when leaders from both parties did not campaign together during a bypoll in Erode earlier in the year.
This significant move to sever ties with the BJP coincided with Palaniswami’s consolidation of leadership within the AIADMK, following the demise of former Chief Minister and party supremo J Jayalalithaa six years ago. His co-leader, O Panneerselvam, was expelled last year for anti-party activities.
Therefore, the 2024 polls are poised to be a critical test of Palaniswami’s leadership, and his decision to part ways with the BJP must be considered within this context.
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