Unease in AIADMK over BJP’s aloofness on alliance

Unease in AIADMK over BJP’s aloofness on alliance

Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:05.12.2020

With actor Rajinikanth announcing the launch of his party in January, a section in the ruling AIADMK appears jittery about BJP’s “reluctance” to formally cement poll ties with the Dravidian major for the 2021 assembly election. This, notwithstanding the assertion by the party leadership, chief minister and AIADMK joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami and deputy CM and party coordinator O Panneerselvam at a government event in Chennai recently that the party’s alliance with the BJP would continue for the 2021assembly poll.

“With Rajinikanth announcing a party, we suspect the game plan of the BJP is to ditch the AIADMK and in the process split the party to get a chunk of leaders to their side, and our allies,” said a senior leader, seeking anonymity. “They may go to any extent, even freezing the two leaves symbol if we do not fall in line,” said the leader. After a bitter power struggle in October, Panneerselvam had agreed to Palaniswami being made the chief ministerial candidate, and the CM agreed to the constitution of the steering committee.

The AIADMK, which is gearing up for its golden jubilee celebrations, is hoping to assert its ‘supremacy’ in the alliance, if it sustained. “Rajinikanth is not equivalent to MGR or Amma. His popularity should not be taken seriously. The BJP should not think otherwise,” said another senior AIADMK leader. But the actor’s entry into politics has dramatically altered the AIADMK-BJP dynamics.

BJP leaders in private say that the party was banking on the popularity of the AIADMK’s two leaves, but there was a possibility of “a change” in the event of the party dumping its ally and forging an alliance with actor Rajinikanth. On Thursday, the actor stated the time had come to change the fate of Tamil Nadu, change of politics and change of government.

“We may join hands with the actor. It all depends on how Rajini wants to keep the show going. A clarity will emerge soon,” said a senior BJP leader.

Meanwhile, former AIADMK MP K C Palanisamy, whose petition in the Delhi high court on two leaves symbol is coming up for hearing on December 18, said tough times were ahead for the ruling AIADMK in the coming weeks. The petition also challenged the amendment to party bylaws, creation of posts and doing away the post of general secretary.

CRACKS EMERGE: The AIADMK, which is gearing up for its golden jubilee celebrations, is hoping to assert its ‘supremacy’ in the alliance, if it sustained