Chennai: In a significant blow to the BJP-led NDA, its largest ally, the AIADMK on Monday decided to formally exit the alliance, blaming the national party’s Tamil Nadu unit. The party said it will fight next year’s Lok Sabha elections by forming an alternative front.
The announcement of the break in ties, made after a high level meeting of its leaders chaired by general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, brought cheers to the party cadres who broke into celebrations bursting crackers and distributing sweets.
The BJP, which was clearly stunned by the decision, reacted mutely. Its State president K Annamalai told journalists, he had seen the resolution copy of the AIADMK but the national leadership would comment about it. “I will talk about this later,” he said in the midst of the En Mann, En Makkal roadshow in Coimbatore.
A resolution, unanimously adopted at the meeting of the AIADMK district secretaries, headquarters secretaries, MPs and MLAs, charged the BJP State leadership with deliberately, in a planned manner, and with motive, “defaming” icons of the AIADMK such as former Chief Minsiters C N Annadurai and J Jayalalithaa, over the course of the past one year. It accused the BJP of criticising the policies of the AIADMK and belittling its general secretary and others.
Monday's meeting change the course
While trouble was brewing between the allies in recent months, the AIADMK’s decision to withdraw from the NDA, left many stunned. Only at the last NDA meeting, Palaniswami was among two leaders who seconded a resolution that the alliance would face the Lok Sabha elections under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Besides, Palaniswami had recently met Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.
Though last week the party’s second line leader D Jayakumar had said the BJP was no longer its ally, he had added that a decision on alliance would be taken at the time of elections. Thus, he had indicated the doors have not been shut on the BJP. However, Monday’s meeting changed the course, and a patch up looks remote.
What triggered the rift?
The latest slug fest between the erstwhile allies was triggered by a claim by Annamalai that in 1956 Annadurai, in whose memory the AIADMK has been named (Anna’s image is in the party flag as well), felt intimidated by Forward Bloc leader Muthuramalinga Thevar and “apologised” to him and “ran away” from Madurai. The BJP leader refused to back out even after archival reports from leading newspapers showed that in 1956, while Thevar had objected to certain rationalist remarks by Annadurai, the DMK founder had not apologised to him or “ran away” from Madurai.
Observers concede that while Annamalai’s reckless remarks on Annadurai was perhaps the last straw on the camel’s back, the decision of the AIADMK may not have been entirely because of this episode. It is speculated that Amit Shat demanded 15 to 20 seats from Palaniswami during their meeting, which the BJP wanted to allot to candidates of its parties and allies with the NDA. This had reportedly not gone down well with Palaniswami.
At the ground level, as things stand, the separation of the two allies, could work to the advantage of the DMK-led INDIA block, which has been functioning as a cohesive entity (from its earlier avatar of Secular Progressive Alliance), since late 2017. Neither the AIADMK nor the BJP are in a position to face the electorate in Tamil Nadu on their independent strengths. The BJP is still a smaller player in Tamil Nadu, and the AIADMK will find it hard to canvass votes without projecting a credible Prime Ministerial candidate.
'Will form a new alliance'
Releasing a statement on the decision taken, the AIADMK said it will lead a separate front for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
"We are breaking our alliance with BJP and NDA as TN BJP leadership is continuously, purposefully defaming AIADMK and its leaders Aringar Anna and J Jayalalithaa. We will form a new alliance and face upcoming Parliamentary elections," the statement said.
