‘Why should we nurture BJP in TN?’ N Thambidurai’s remarks create flutter
Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, for the first time, hinted that an alliance with the saffron party had not been finalised.
Published: 18th January 2019 04:05 AM
Deputy Lok Sabha speaker M Thambidurai (File photo | EPS)
Express News Service
CHENNAI: Love me, love me not... That’s how the AIADMK-BJP alliance story seems to be going. With just around two months left for the formal notification of the Lok Sabha polls, differences within the AIADMK over having an electoral alliance with BJP have come out in the open.
“It’s not our duty to nurture BJP in Tamil Nadu,” said Deputy Lok Sabha Speaker and senior AIADMK leader M Thambidurai on Thursday. “We will not carry any other party on our back and help them gain a foothold in the State,” he said.
Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, for the first time, hinted that an alliance with the saffron party had not been finalised.
“BJP may wish to have an alliance with us, but our party should also wish the same,” he said. “As far as AIADMK is concerned, a consensus among all rungs of leadership starting from party coordinator and chief minister to grassroot level functionaries is a must,” Jayakumar said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, BJP’s election in-charge for Tamil Nadu, has postponed his visit to the State to January 20 as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is away from the country for treatment.
Thambidurai, who has been making anti-BJP remarks for quite some time, went one step further and made virulent comments on having alliance with that party. He also pointed out that Amma ( Jayalalithaa) had shown the path for the party in various elections. She faced all the elections since 2006 without having any alliance with both national parties.
Barely a week ago, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami asserted that “Only those who do good to the people of Tamil Nadu should come to power at the Centre and we will support them alone. We will not accept those who betray Tamil Nadu”.
This remark assumes significance since AIADMK has been strongly opposing NDA government on many issues as the Centre has been taking decisions unfavourable for Tamil Nadu.
Reacting to the remarks of Thambidurai, BJP spokesperson SR Sekar told Express that “Of late, Thambidurai has been making anti-BJP remarks. Other than Thambidurai, no leader in AIADMK has made such remarks against the BJP, especially those who are at the helm of affairs. I will say Thambidurai is an isolated personality and he is making such remarks with some ulterior motive. I sincerely doubt whether Thambidurai could be a sleeper cell member of the DMK”.
Piyush defers visit
Meanwhile, in yet another development, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who is BJP’s election in charge of Tamil Nadu has postponed his visit to the State from January 18 to 20 as Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is away from the country for treatment.
However, a senior functionary in BJP said that informal talks with AIADMK on alliance were going on.
Last time when the AIADMK and BJP worked together was in 2004 Lok Sabha elections. In that elections, both parties drew a blank while the DMK-led front won all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu. Following this, the late AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa declared that she would never have an alliance with BJP.
No talks so far: Ponnar
No political parties from Tamil Nadu have made talks with BJP for Lok Sabha poll alliance, said Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan in Nagercoil on Thursday
Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, for the first time, hinted that an alliance with the saffron party had not been finalised.
Published: 18th January 2019 04:05 AM
Deputy Lok Sabha speaker M Thambidurai (File photo | EPS)
Express News Service
CHENNAI: Love me, love me not... That’s how the AIADMK-BJP alliance story seems to be going. With just around two months left for the formal notification of the Lok Sabha polls, differences within the AIADMK over having an electoral alliance with BJP have come out in the open.
“It’s not our duty to nurture BJP in Tamil Nadu,” said Deputy Lok Sabha Speaker and senior AIADMK leader M Thambidurai on Thursday. “We will not carry any other party on our back and help them gain a foothold in the State,” he said.
Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, for the first time, hinted that an alliance with the saffron party had not been finalised.
“BJP may wish to have an alliance with us, but our party should also wish the same,” he said. “As far as AIADMK is concerned, a consensus among all rungs of leadership starting from party coordinator and chief minister to grassroot level functionaries is a must,” Jayakumar said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, BJP’s election in-charge for Tamil Nadu, has postponed his visit to the State to January 20 as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is away from the country for treatment.
Thambidurai, who has been making anti-BJP remarks for quite some time, went one step further and made virulent comments on having alliance with that party. He also pointed out that Amma ( Jayalalithaa) had shown the path for the party in various elections. She faced all the elections since 2006 without having any alliance with both national parties.
Barely a week ago, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami asserted that “Only those who do good to the people of Tamil Nadu should come to power at the Centre and we will support them alone. We will not accept those who betray Tamil Nadu”.
This remark assumes significance since AIADMK has been strongly opposing NDA government on many issues as the Centre has been taking decisions unfavourable for Tamil Nadu.
Reacting to the remarks of Thambidurai, BJP spokesperson SR Sekar told Express that “Of late, Thambidurai has been making anti-BJP remarks. Other than Thambidurai, no leader in AIADMK has made such remarks against the BJP, especially those who are at the helm of affairs. I will say Thambidurai is an isolated personality and he is making such remarks with some ulterior motive. I sincerely doubt whether Thambidurai could be a sleeper cell member of the DMK”.
Piyush defers visit
Meanwhile, in yet another development, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who is BJP’s election in charge of Tamil Nadu has postponed his visit to the State from January 18 to 20 as Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is away from the country for treatment.
However, a senior functionary in BJP said that informal talks with AIADMK on alliance were going on.
Last time when the AIADMK and BJP worked together was in 2004 Lok Sabha elections. In that elections, both parties drew a blank while the DMK-led front won all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu. Following this, the late AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa declared that she would never have an alliance with BJP.
No talks so far: Ponnar
No political parties from Tamil Nadu have made talks with BJP for Lok Sabha poll alliance, said Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan in Nagercoil on Thursday
No comments:
Post a Comment