BJP leaders see Annamalai's hand as TTV attacks Edappadi over TVK's moves’

CHENNAI: Even after snapping ties with the BJP, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) general secretary TTV Dhinakaran appears to be preoccupied with the saffron party. In a sharp political attack laced with innuendo, Dhinakaran on Saturday cautioned the BJP to remain vigilant as his rival and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) intensifies efforts to forge a formidable alliance with actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

Speaking to reporters in Tiruvannamalai, Dhinakaran said, “If Vijay allies with the AIADMK, Edappadi Palaniswami will not hesitate to even discard the BJP. But will Vijay really come? Did he start a party to make Palaniswami the Chief Minister? Will his cadres accept that? Will Vijay raise Palaniswami to the CM’s chair?”

Accusing Palaniswami of “betrayal and opportunism,” Dhinakaran said the AIADMK’s exit from the BJP alliance before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections had exposed the AIADMK leader’s unreliability. “When it was a crucial election for the BJP, EPS deserted the alliance and spoke against it. Palaniswami knows nothing beyond betrayal,” he charged.

Dhinakaran claimed that the AIADMK alliance would garner “less than 15 per cent votes” in the upcoming elections. “From the moment EPS declared himself as the Chief Ministerial candidate, the alliance began to weaken. The BJP should take note of this,” he remarked.

“EPS has even used his cadres to hoist the TVK flag. This clearly shows that he is ready to accept Vijay’s leadership and go under his shadow. That is how weak the AIADMK has become. Our alliance decisions will be made only by December,” Dhinakaran added.

Reacting sharply, the AIADMK’s IT Wing hit back, accusing Dhinakaran of acting as a “watchman for the DMK’s headquarters, Arivalayam.” In a scathing social media post, the party said, “What right does Dhinakaran, who now dances to the DMK’s tunes, have to speak about our respected general secretary or our party? Using the name ‘Amma’ and her image while serving DMK’s interests is the worst betrayal of late leader J Jayalalithaa.”

The statement further mocked Dhinakaran, calling him “a frustrated agent” who “barks ‘wheel, wheel’ whenever the DMK whistles.” It added, “He has nothing left except four media microphones in front of him. Even those will abandon him after 2026.”

Meanwhile, the BJP, currently watching the developments from the sidelines, maintained that its alliance with the AIADMK remains intact. “We are holding talks to expand the NDA. Our high command is also in touch with TVK leader Vijay. Dhinakaran’s remarks are born out of frustration. He has no place in the NDA now,” a senior BJP leader told DT Next.

However, a section of state BJP unit leaders suspect that Dhinakaran’s sudden hostility toward both the AIADMK and the saffron may have been orchestrated in coordination with former BJP state president K Annamalai and the ruling DMK. “He doesn’t want Vijay’s TVK to join the NDA and help the AIADMK front secure victory. His every move seems calculated to weaken the alliance,” a senior BJP functionary added.