ADMK Leadership Announces End of Alliance with BJP
Salem: In a major political development, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leadership has once again declared that they have severed ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The decision to withdraw from the alliance was made after consulting with the party’s two crore volunteers, according to ADMK General Secretary Palaniswami.
During an interview in Salem District, Eadhapadi, Palaniswami explained that a resolution was passed in a meeting attended by state administrators, MPs, MLAs, and district secretaries on the 25th of last month. The resolution, which was a representation of the opinion of the party’s two crore volunteers, resulted in the decision to withdraw from the BJP alliance as well as the National Democratic Alliance.
Palaniswami further urged Tamil Nadu BJP vice-president Duraisamy to clarify his statement about ongoing talks regarding an alliance. “We have made our position clear,” stated the ADMK General Secretary.
The end of the alliance has raised questions about whether the breakup will affect the distribution of anti-Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) votes. Palaniswami emphasized that it is now up to the voters to determine the outcome.
“Request”
Palaniswami also highlighted the ADMK’s strong performance in the last assembly elections. Pointing out that they received the highest number of votes in the current seven MP constituencies, he acknowledged that there was a difference in the three blocks where they achieved the lowest number of votes. In seats with a margin of less than 50,000 votes, they lost in ten seats, and in those with a margin of less than one lakh votes, they lost in seven seats.
Based on these statistics, the ADMK leadership believes that they will secure victory in 40 seats, including Puducherry, in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin and his party, the DMK, came under criticism from Palaniswami. He alleged that the DMK government had failed to fulfill their election promises, highlighting that only 10 percent of the 520 announcements made by Stalin had been completed.
Palaniswami further criticized the DMK for allegedly causing an increase in electricity bills by 52 percent, property tax by 150 percent, and prices of essential commodities by 40 percent, resulting in the difficulties faced by the people of Tamil Nadu.
In a separate incident, ADMK MLAs, including Jayaraman, approached Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Coimbatore to address the issues faced by coconut farmers. Palaniswami highlighted this engagement as an example of the party’s commitment to resolving the concerns of the people.
“Didn’t notice”
The ADMK leader also accused Chief Minister Stalin of not prioritizing the supply of water to the Mettur Dam, despite portraying himself as a “Delta man.” He stated that 5 lakh acres of land in delta areas had been cultivated with crops, but 3.50 lakh acres had been scorched due to lack of water.
Palaniswami also criticized Stalin for not demanding monthly water supply as per the Supreme Court verdict. He questioned the DMK government’s commitment to the alliance, referring to the Congress joining only after Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal agreed to their demands.
Furthermore, Palaniswami highlighted the dire situation faced by farmers in Karnataka, where dams have water reserves but water is not being provided. He accused Stalin of overlooking the plight of farmers who lost their crops due to scorched fields.
“Imagination”
Addressing concerns about the impact of the alliance’s end, Palaniswami dismissed any retaliatory actions or symbol changes. He reassured the public that the AIADMK had obtained their symbol according to the Supreme Court verdict and Election Commission order.
Palaniswami also denied any differences of opinion with BJP National President Natta and Union Minister Amit Shah. He stated that the decision to withdraw from the alliance was made in accordance with the wishes of the party’s two crore volunteers and emphasized that certain claims made by Annamalai were purely imaginative.
The end of the alliance between the ADMK and BJP has set the stage for a fiercely contested Lok Sabha election in Tamil Nadu, leaving the outcome uncertain and the political landscape in the state open to speculation.