CHENNAI: CHENNAI: Beset with internal strife, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami met BJP’s political strategist and Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the latter’s residence in Delhi on Tuesday night to discuss and resolve the issues that have caused a rift within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
It is learnt that it was a one-on-one meeting between Palaniswami and Shah, while the AIADMK leader’s close associates SP Velumani, KP Munusamy, M Thambidurai, and CVe Shanmugam, who accompanied him, were made to wait in another room. Palaniswami is expected to return to Chennai on Wednesday.
The meeting came a day after senior AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan’s 10-day deadline to Palaniswami to initiate the reunification of the party splinters expired. Many here believe that the BJP played a role in the fresh challenge that Palaniswami is facing within the party; suspicions that were strengthened after Sengottaiyan met Shah and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman days after being stripped of his party posts.
“It cannot be ruled out that Palaniswami will raise the matter to express his displeasure, albeit in a subtle manner, while also reiterating his firm stance against the return of expelled AIADMK leaders,” said a senior functionary from Palaniswami’s close circle.
Earlier in the day, Palaniswami and other leaders called on the newly elected Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan. Their meeting lasted nearly one and a half hours, a party senior said.
Radhakrishnan’s elevation as Vice-President was a matter of pride for Tamil Nadu, Palaniswami said. “I congratulated him for his win and wished him success as Vice-President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha,” he said.