AIADMK bristles at jibes but seeks to play down rift

CHENNAI: Even as it distanced itself from senior leader C Ponnaiyan’s statements against its ally BJP, the AIADMK rejected the criticism and asserted that it was functioning effectively as a constructive opposition party. The principal opposition party also made clear its displeasure over the continuing jibes from BJP leaders, naming two of them who had shifted allegiance to the saffron party.

Dismissing Ponnaiyan’s remarks as his personal view, party coordinator O Panneerselvam said the organisation secretary’s comments that BJP was anti-Tamil had nothing to do with the AIADMK. “What Ponnaiyan said should only be taken as his personal view,” he said while speaking to the media at the party headquarters here on Friday.

But what appeared to be an attempt to end the discord between partners took a different turn when the media asked the leaders’ response to State BJP vice-president VP Duraisamy’s comment that his party’s 4 legislators functioned better than 66 AIADMK lawmakers. “Duraisamy need not give us a certificate,” shot back AIADMK co-coordinator K Palaniswami.

Stating that he and Panneerselvam have been raising people’s issues in the Assembly, Palaniswami said, “People and even the media are aware how the AIADMK has been functioning both inside and outside the Assembly… People also know how the BJP legislature party leader (Nainar Nagendran, who shifted his loyalties to the BJP from AIADMK) functions in the Assembly.”

The simmering feud between the allies was triggered by Ponnaiyan, who accused the BJP of trying to grow at the expense of the AIADMK and alleged it was acting against the interest of Tamil Nadu on various issues.

COIMBATORE: Continuing his tirade against the AIADMK, VP Duraisamy, state vice president of the BJP, on Friday said that the MLAs of the main opposition are not raising issues of corruption by DMK in the Assembly due to fear of raids.

Speaking to the media in Rasipuram, Duraisamy said the 65 AIADMK MLAs should have spoken about DMK’s corruption in the Assembly. “But they are remaining silent, fearing raids,” he said.

Claiming that the BJP and AIADMK continue to be friends, Duraisamy however said the AIADMK should seek an explanation from its organisation secretary C Ponnaiyan’s remark against the saffron party.

“His remarks that the BJP is taking double standards on various inter-state issues on Mekedatu, Mullaiperiyar and language policy is unacceptable. As the AIADMK MLAs themselves are in fear of raids, Ponnnaiyan does not have any right to speak about BJP or its leaders,” he said.

Ponnaiyan’s remarks that the BJP was trying to grow in Tamil Nadu at the expense of AIADMK has stirred a controversy with vehement condemnation by BJP leaders.

On the ongoing Sri Lankan crisis, Duraisamy said that BJP state president K Annamalai with the support of the central government has made all out efforts to retrieve ‘katchatheevu’.

“The BJP will not remain a mute spectator on the issue. In fact, Annamalai was deputed by the Centre to Sri Lanka as a representative to resolve the Tamils’ problems,” he claimed.

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