Infighting and dissent within AIADMK after tie-up with BJP

Furthermore, there are also murmurs that the AIADMK, which is the third largest party in the Lok Sabha, will contest between 21 and 23 seats, thereby leaving more than 17 seats for its allies. “This means more than 15 sitting MPs will be denied their seats,” party insiders told DT Next.

According to a senior leader, who wished to be not quoted, “The infighting has started. There is an uncertainty over who would contest in greater Chennai area, which comprises Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram segments.”

“While the BJP is asking for south Chennai, where Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar’s son is the incumbent MP, a similar stand-off is being witnessed in Coimbatore and Tirunelveli,” he added.

Meanwhile, the three small parties, who contested last Assembly elections on AIADMK symbol, have expressed their disappointment as well and are predicting a rout for the BJP-AIADMK front.

“Late J Jayalalithaa always kept the BJP at a distance. But that situation has changed now. The AIADMK is under trouble and will face adverse results,” Kangeyam MLA U Thaniyarasu told reporters on Wednesday.

Actor-turned-politician Karunas too has predicted a rout for the AIADMK- BJP front.    Manitheneya Jananayaga Katchi MLA Thamimun Ansari went one step further and said his party would soon walk out of the AIADMK alliance after the ruling party tied up with the BJP.

“With the saffron party onboard, it will be difficult for us to reach out to Muslims and Christians,’’ fumed an AIADMK district secretary.

Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai on Wednesday claimed the AIADMK tied up with the BJP for the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu. Speaking to reporters, Thambidurai claimed that the DMK is known for make Bhoomi poojas for welfare programmes but never make them a reality. “The DMK president MK Stalin has been challenging the ruling AIADMK out of frustration and has come to know that the party will never emerge victorious in any election. So, he has been referring everyone in singular”, Thambidurai said. Stating that both the Congress and DMK are the enemies of AIADMK, Thambidurai said they both killed one and a half lakh Tamils in Sri Lanka. “We are very keen on preventing them from coming to power again. Hence, we entered into an alliance with the BJP,” he said.

Having sealed an alliance with the BJP and the PMK for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the ruling AIADMK has now set its eyes on winning the bypolls in the vacant Assembly seats.  

The party, which is sitting on a wafer-thin majority in the Assembly, is confident of winning a minimum of 10-12 seats due to the effective alliance arithmetic being worked out, sources said.

In a bid to maximise its chances, the AIADMK is likely to field heavyweights, spendthrifts and candidates who can attract support from the predominant local communities.

“Victory margin in the previous polls, caste equations and the popularity of the party functionaries in each constituency is being studied. The selection of candidates will commence after the bypoll schedule is announced,” a senior AIADMK functionary told DT NEXT.

“Till last week not much was discussed about vacant Assembly seats, but now with the Hosur seat being declared vacant, the party has started works at the grassroots level,” he said.

When contacted, Rajya Sabha MP A Navaneedhakrishnan said, “The AIADMK cadre are upbeat after roping in the PMK, a party which had earlier criticised us. 

There is no dispute or disagreement between our cadre and those from other parties. The campaign this time will be an extravaganza.”