Chennai: Tamil Nadu's AIADMK has snapped ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance - just months before the national election - amid a row over comments by the latter party's state boss, K Annamalai. The AIADMK had accused the BJP leader of deliberately defaming its present and past leaders.
The break-up was announced by AIADMK Deputy General Secretary KP Munusamy after a resolution was passed unanimously at a meeting of MPs, MLAs and district heads in Chennai. "The AIADMK will fight the 2024 election with its allies," Munusamy also said. AIAMK spokesperson Sasirekha said, "... based on members' opinion we are taking this resolution. This is the happiest moment (for us). We are very happy to face the upcoming elections (on our own), whether Parliamentary or Assembly."
Annamalai - who is on a padyatra, or foot march, in Coimbatore, said, "Our national leadership will respond." Earlier he had refused to back down. He argued that what he had said was part of history and needed to be understood in the context of the row over Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin's remark on Sanatan Dharm.
At a meeting in Delhi last week - a last-gasp effort to revive strained ties - the south Indian party stood firm on its demand - that Annamalai either apologise for remarks on the late former Chief Minister CN Annadurai, or be replaced with a "non-controversial leader." Annadurai was the mentor of AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran.
A senior AIADMK leader at that meeting said discussions were "cordial", but remarks by the BJP's M Chakravarthy painted a different picture. "... leadership does not relish idea of shifting Annamalai as he has been (instrumental in) reviving the party (in Tamil Nadu)... he only made a remark alluding to Annadurai during Sanatan Dharma row."