Dhinakaran snubs Annamalai’s efforts, says ties not feasible

CHENNAI: Days after former state BJP chief K Annamalai’s discreet meeting with AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran at the latter’s Adyar residence, urging him to return to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Dhinakaran on Wednesday declared categorically that it was ‘not feasible’ so long as AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami remains the alliance’s chief ministerial candidate.

“Annamalai and others are well aware of the reason for the AMMK’s exit from the NDA. Though he requested me to reconsider, I made it clear that there is no question of returning to the alliance while Palaniswami continues as long as Palaniswami is the CM candidate or the deciding force,” Dhinakaran told journalists in Chennai on Wednesday.

He further remarked that the party is ‘no more AIADMK’, which was founded by MG Ramachandran, and it had been reduced to the “Edappadi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam” after Palaniswami undid the party’s by-laws. However, he expressed confidence that he would revive the AIADMK and restore its original by-laws after the 2026 Assembly polls.

Justifying the former IPS officer’s efforts to reverse his September 1 decision, Dhinakaran said it was because of him that the AMMK had joined the NDA.

“Annamalai called me several times to request a reconsideration. But many are spreading different versions, claiming he caused the present tussle within the alliance. That is untrue. I have no issue with AIADMK leaders except Palaniswami, who betrayed me,” he asserted.

Countering criticism that the AMMK’s vote share was insignificant compared to Palaniswami’s strength, Dhinakaran insisted that the 2.5 % his party secured in the 2021 polls was enough to thwart Palaniswami’s ambition of becoming CM again.

“It was a fitting reply from the AMMK for his betrayal. We demonstrated the impact we could create in the southern districts,” he said.

Dhinakaran also termed Palaniswami’s announcement of 10.5 per cent reservation for the Vanniyar community ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls a ‘political blunder’, adding that several communities in the southern districts were still resentful.

He continued in the same vein and criticised that Palaniswami is committing a similar mistake now by pressing the Union government to name the Madurai Airport after freedom fighter Pasumpoon Muthuramalinga Thevar and to confer the Bharat Ratna on him.

“In fact, this was one of the AMMK’s 2021 poll promises. But such matters should be achieved with the consensus of all communities, not for political mileage,” he maintained.