Coimbatore, Mar 7 (PTI) Without naming the AIADMK openly, Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai on Friday said it was longing for an alliance with his party for the 2026 Assembly election in view of the hardwork of its functionaries and cadres and that he is proud of their work, which brought a turnaround.
The BJP was treated as an "untouchable party," derided as "NOTA party" and some even claimed that they lost polls only in view of its association with the Saffron party, Annamalai said.
However, today, the situation is that of "penance" to have ties with the BJP. The Saffron party leader also made it clear that it will not ditch AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran for the sake of ties with AIADMK.
C Ve Shanmugam, a key AIADMK leader and former Minister had said that the AIADMK lost 2021 polls as it had aligned with the BJP and several others in that party had the same opinion. The party had severed ties with the BJP in September 2023.
Annamalai's comment assumes significance as only days ago AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami asserted that no political party, other than the DMK, is his party's enemy. He also indicated clear chances of aligning with any political party to dislodge the DMK from power.
Against this background, the BJP leader said his party workers have slogged day and night to ensure that there is no politics sans the saffron party in Tamil Nadu and that he is proud of them and their work.
"I am not belittling any party or any leader. We are happy that the party today is in such a situation (as other parties are seeking to have ties with it)...the contours of the NDA alliance will be decided later and aspects like which party will lead, who will be the CM candidate and all such things will be decided by our national leadership at the right time...we are not an enemy to any party. The BJP's objective is to strengthen itself," he told reporters here.
If the political news during the past five years in Tamil Nadu was analysed, the claim that they (AIADMK) lost elections only due to an alliance with the BJP could be understood. Also, they declared that they will never have any alliance with the BJP, Annamalai outlined without naming the AIADMK.
Today, the NDA is strong, it is gaining strength and, "there are several leaders including Annan (brother) Dhinakaran who are travelling in NDA reposing faith on us; and BJP should be thankful to them."
Dhinakaran and his aunt VK Sasikala were ousted from the AIADMK years ago.
Dhinakaran's Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam are partners of the NDA in Tamil Nadu. AIADMK has time and again made it clear that it will not take back Panneerselvam or Dhinakaran into the party.
The BJP, a national party, cannot do the politics of leaving trusted allies in the lurch and trust is the hallmark of a national party. Only by following principled politics with its allies, the BJP has grown and formed governments in several states.
"Ditching allies is not in the DNA of the NDA," Annamalai said, apparently hinting that BJP will not sever ties with Dhinakaran for the sake of electoral relationship with the AIADMK.