Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has ruled out any kind of alliance with the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. Said Swamy to THE WEEK, “It is an opportunity for us [the BJP] to do well in Tamil Nadu. But we would do well only if we contest all 234 assembly seats and 39 Lok Sabha seats on our own. We need to fight elections in Tamil Nadu on the Hindutva and anti-corruption agenda.”
After J. Jayalalithaa’s death, Swami had said that her associate Sasikala Natarajan would take over the reins of the party and not allow Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam to function independently. “Sasikala will not give Panneerselvam a free hand and she will ultimately find somebody from the family for the post of the chief minister,” said Swamy.
But Sasikala, who continues to live in Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence, has apparently told her partymen not to take instructions from her family members.
AIADMK leader C. Ponnaiyan said that the party would soon elect its new general secretary unanimously. It is believed that Sasikala would lay claim to the legacy of Jayalalithaa.
Said C.R. Saraswathi, party spokesperson, to THE WEEK, “We will soon have a general body meeting and decide the next general secretary. Please don’t believe in rumours. Our party cadre is very strong and there is no confusion in the party. Amma had said numerous times that even after her death her party would remain strong. Amma’s soul is always with us. She would continue to guide us.”
