The current spat between the AIADMK and the BJP relating to who the “effective and principal” Opposition occasion in Tamil Nadu is has once more dropped at the fore their uneasy relationship. The two events parted methods in late January over the difficulty of seat-sharing within the polls to the city native our bodies. Yet, AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam and co-coordinator Edappadi Okay. Palaniswami have maintained cordial equations with the BJP management, which additionally seems to be favourably disposed in the direction of them. This was evident from the Prime Minister’s manner when he interacted with the 2 leaders throughout his go to to Chennai on May 26 to inaugurate infrastructure initiatives. Earlier, the AIADMK was in a position to get the backing of the BJP in addition to the Pattali Makkal Katchi, one other erstwhile ally, for the election of its two candidates — C.Ve. Shanmugam and R. Dharmar — to the Rajya Sabha.
When all the things gave the impression to be regular, the AIADMK organisation secretary C. Ponnaiyan’s outburst towards the BJP got here as a bolt from the blue. Addressing a workshop organised by the occasion’s Puratchi Thalaivi Peravai for its office-bearers on May 31, Mr. Ponnaiyan, who served below three Chief Ministers and held varied portfolios, stated though the BJP was “an ally” of his occasion, its development within the State did “not augur well for the AIADMK, Tamil Nadu and Dravidian policies.” He accused the nationwide occasion of searching for to develop on the expense of his occasion within the State and indulging in “double-dealing” on inter-State disputes regarding the Cauvery river and the Mullaperiyar dam.
A key purpose for the AIADMK’s veteran to lash out on the BJP may very well be the way in which the nationwide occasion has been making efforts to enlarge its house within the State politics. This pattern turned extra seen when L. Murugan, now Union Minister of State, was the BJP unit president from March 2020 to July 2021. Improving upon the strategy, his successor, Okay. Annamalai, is taking up the ruling DMK on each situation, trying to create a notion that the BJP is a fast-growing occasion in Tamil Nadu.
Mr. Annamalai reacted to Mr. Ponniayan’s cost saying it the AIADMK senior chief’s private opinion. It was his occasion’s vice-presidents — V.P. Duraisamy and Karu Nagarajan — who launched a full-blown assault on the previous Minister. Mr. Panneerselvam and Mr. Palaniswami initially stayed silent. This was in distinction to final July when Mr. Palaniswami issued an announcement reiterating that the AIADMK’s alliance with the BJP would proceed, after Mr. Shanmugam cited the alliance because the issue for the lack of assist of spiritual minorities through the Assembly elections. Later, when the co-coordinator shot again at Mr. Duraisamy saying that the BJP’s vice-president didn’t must certify the AIADMK’s functioning because the principal Opposition occasion, Mr. Panneerselvam sought to place a lid on the controversy by calling Mr. Ponnaiyan’s observations his private view.
The change of phrases appears to have come to an finish with each Mr. Panneerselvam and Mr. Palaniswami greeting Mr. Annamalai on Twitter on Saturday on his birthday. On Sunday, the BJP State president went on file saying that his occasion colleagues shouldn’t categorical any private opinion on the AIADMK with out the management’s permission. At the identical time, he made it clear that his occasion had by no means entertained the considered searching for to develop within the State at the price of the AIADMK. A message additionally got here from the AIADMK’s spokesperson and former Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar that there was no break up between his occasion and the nationwide occasion.
Source: www.thehindu.com
