AIADMK BJP alliance breakup: AIADMK’s Decision to Part Ways with BJP. The party has decided to go solo in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, marking a significant political development in Tamil Nadu. This decision was made during a meeting of AIADMK leaders held on Monday.
Chennai, 25 September(City Times): AIADMK BJP alliance breakup : The AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) has officially severed its ties with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and the NDA (National Democratic Alliance). The party has decided to go solo in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, marking a significant political development in Tamil Nadu. This decision was made during a meeting of AIADMK leaders held on Monday.
AIADMK Dissolving Ties with BJP and NDA
KP Munusamy, the Deputy Coordinator of AIADMK, made a formal announcement regarding the party’s decision to discontinue its alliance with the BJP and NDA, effective immediately. The rift between AIADMK and BJP had been growing over the past year, with BJP leaders, particularly State President K Annamalai, making statements that were seen as critical of AIADMK’s leadership, including General Secretary E Palanisamy.
AIADMK BJP alliance breakup : AIADMK spokesperson Shasirekha stated that the decision
AIADMK spokesperson Shasirekha stated that the decision to break away from the alliance was based on the opinions of the party members. She described this development as a moment of triumph for AIADMK, affirming the party’s determination to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections independently.
AIADMK BJP alliance breakup: The Origins of Discontent: 4 Key Reasons
The decision to dissolve the alliance between AIADMK and BJP did not occur overnight. Several factors contributed to the growing discontent between the two parties:
- 1. BJP State President’s Remarks on Jayalalitha : Tensions between AIADMK and BJP began to surface in June of the current year when BJP State President Annamalai made statements in an interview characterizing Tamil Nadu as one of the most corrupt states. He specifically referred to the late former Chief Minister J Jayalalitha, who had been convicted in the disproportionate assets case. Though Jayalalitha was an accused in this case, she passed away before the Supreme Court’s verdict. Her close associate, Sasikala, and others were found guilty.
- 2. Palaniswami’s Disinterest in Meeting Amit Shah : AIADMK’s alliance with BJP faced setbacks in Tamil Nadu, with the alliance losing three elections in the state since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Observers suggest that AIADMK started viewing BJP as a liability. In November of the previous year, E Palaniswami, then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, declared that he had no need to meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah when Shah visited Tamil Nadu for personal reasons.
Conversely, State BJP President K Annamalai suggested that the migration of BJP members to AIADMK indicated the growth of the BJP in Tamil Nadu.
- 3. Leaders Crossing Over :The crossover of leaders from both parties added fuel to the fire. In March, five BJP leaders, including CRT Nirmal Kumar, the head of the state IT wing, joined AIADMK. Nirmal Kumar accused State BJP President K Annamalai of having connections with a DMK minister. Additionally, 13 more leaders switched to AIADMK. In a reciprocal move, AIADMK saw one of its senior leaders, former minister Nainar Nagendran, leave the party to join BJP and now leads the BJP in the Assembly. AIADMK argued that when their members joined BJP, BJP celebrated, but when BJP members joined AIADMK, they voiced objections.
- 4. BJP’s Aspiration as the Primary Opposition : With only four MLAs in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, the BJP aimed to position itself as the primary opposition party in the state, especially when a rift developed between E Palanisamy and O Panneerselvam within AIADMK. This endeavor further strained the relationship between the two alliance partners.
Tamil Nadu now joins the ranks of Bihar, Maharashtra, and Punjab as states where BJP’s allies have opted to part ways. In earlier instances, the JDU (Janata Dal United) led by Nitish Kumar left the NDA in Bihar, the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena parted ways in Maharashtra, and the Shiromani Akali Dal separated from the NDA in Punjab.
This decision marks a significant shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape and sets the stage for a fiercely contested election season where AIADMK will compete independently, seeking to make its mark in the state’s politics.
