CHENNAI: Even as AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has been reiterating that his party will return to power on its own and that there will be no NDA coalition government in Tamil Nadu, BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran on Thursday (February 26) said that his party’s MLAs would become ministers after the forthcoming Assembly elections.
Addressing party cadres at the opening of an election office in the city, Nagenthran expressed confidence that the BJP would secure between 20 and 30 seats in the polls. “By God’s grace, it will happen. Some among you may even become ministers,” he said.
The remarks have triggered speculation in political circles on whether the BJP is anticipating a role in governance if the NDA comes to power in the State. This comes in contrast to Palaniswami’s repeated assertion that coalition governments do not work in Tamil Nadu and that the AIADMK, as the leader of the NDA in the State, would form a government on its own with a simple majority.
Reacting to Nagenthran’s comments, AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan said the remarks need not be viewed as creating any pressure on the alliance. “There is no need to read too much into it. He may have said it to boost the morale of party workers,” he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had, during an earlier visit to Tamil Nadu, announced that the AIADMK would lead the alliance and that the NDA would form a coalition government in the State. He repeated the assertion on many stages. However, Palaniswami and other senior AIADMK leaders rejected it, without replying to Amit Shah. AIADMK leaders have reiterated that there would be no coalition government in the State.
The issue of power-sharing has also caused some unease within the ruling DMK-led alliance, with a section of Tamil Nadu Congress leaders pressing for a share in governance, leading to internal disquiet within the front.