Allies ill at ease: AIADMK fires salvos at BJP

CHENNAI/TIRUCHY: Cracks are appearing in the opposition alliance, with senior AIADMK leaders criticising the BJP for projecting itself as the alternative for the ruling DMK. However, State BJP president K Annamalai downplayed the criticism stating that these were individual opinions and not that of the principal opposition party.

The first one to fire the salvo was senior leader C Ponnaiyan, who said the BJP would never be able to grow in the State because it was anti-Tamil, citing Hindi imposition and NEET among other reasons.

Echoing him, another senior leader D Jayakumar said the people of Tamil Nadu would not accept national parties, whether Congress or BJP. While it is natural for parties to have the ambition to capture power, the decision was that of the people, he added.

It’s his personal view, not AIADMK’s, says state BJP chief

TIRUCHY: The statement of AIADMK leader C Ponnaiyan is not the voice of the party but his personal view, said BJP state president K Annamalai here on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters here, Annamalai said, the number of criminal offences in Tamil Nadu has been increasing day by day as the law and order condition has turned worse and the hands of police are tied by the ruling party. Stating that each party leadership used to strive to take their party to the top position, Annamalai said, the statements of senior AIADMK leader Ponnaiyan was not the voice of the party but his personal view. Similarly, the statement of BJP leader Nainar Nagendran on induction of VK Sasikala into BJP is not the voice of the party but his personal view.

“Anyone can join BJP and for a few particular people, the decision would be made by the party national leadership,” Annamalai pointed out.

Meanwhile, the BJP state president reinstated that the party would win at least 25 seats from Tamil Nadu in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. “The winning of BJP will not be a little drop in 2024, but like a stream and it would certainly bag at least 25 seats,” Annamalai predicted. In the meantime, he asked the state government to rectify themselves from the charges made by the BJP. “We would release a set of charges against two departments in a couple of days with solid evidence. We have also been receiving a series of complaints against DMK every day and we would study and release them one by one,” Annamalai said.

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