The General Secretary of AIADMK Edappadi K Palaniswami chaired a party meet with key office-bearers, including the district secretaries and MLAs on Monday.
(File photo/PTI)
Following the official announcement, AIADMK Deputy Coordinator, K P Munusamy said that the party has unanimously passed a resolution in the meeting and is thereby cutting all ties with the BJP and NDA alliance
After a tumultuous relationship over the past few months, the AIADMK on Monday announced to sever ties with its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and walked out of the NDA ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
AIADMK Deputy Coordinator K P Munusamy said that the party has unanimously passed a resolution in the meeting to cut ties with the BJP.
The decision was taken during an AIADMK meeting chaired by General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami with key office-bearers, including the district secretaries and MLAs to discuss ties with the BJP. The party’s high-level meeting adopted a unanimous resolution criticising the BJP Tamil Nadu unit for deliberately attacking AIADMK icons and ideology.
Chennai, Tamil Nadu | K P Munusamy, AIADMK Deputy Coordinator says, “AIADMK unanimously passed a resolution in the meeting. AIADMK is breaking all ties with BJP and NDA alliance from today. The state leadership of the BJP has been continuously making unnecessary remarks about our… pic.twitter.com/HSx3NJKKOJ— ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2023
“The state leadership of the BJP has been continuously making unnecessary remarks on our former leaders, our general secretary EPS and our cadres for the past one year. In today’s meeting, this resolution was passed unanimously,” said the AIADMK.
Celebrations took place outside AIADMK headquarters in Chennai following the party’s decision to sever ties with the BJP.
BJP Yet to Respond Officially on AIADMK’s Decision
When asked about the AIADMK’s decision, BJP state party chief K Annamalai said the national leadership will give a timely response in the matter.
BJP Leader CT Ravi also spoke about the breaking of the alliance between the AIADMK and BJP. He said, “Eight months are left and what will happen in these months, we can’t say anything today. To make the party strong is the duty of every worker. Under the leadership of K Annamalai a great work of strengthening the party is being done”.
AIADMK Calls Annamalai ‘Rabble-rouser’
Calling Annamalai “rabble-rouser”, AIADMK leader Kovai Sathya said it is the BJP who needs AIADMK and it’s not AIADMK that needs BJP as far as Tamil Nadu is concerned.
#WATCH | On breaking the alliance with NDA, AIADMK leader Kovai Sathyan says, “For the sanctity of the alliance we maintained the status quo. Despite K Annamalai turning out to be a rabble-rouser. He started commenting on our leaders and founders. He started criticising our… pic.twitter.com/t30lvrdOTQ— ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2023
AIADMK Spokesperson Sasirekha said this is “the happiest moment for AIADMK”. She also added that the resolution was taken after the opinion of the members.
INDIA Bloc Says ‘Big Loss to BJP’
Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said that AIADMK’s decision to quit NDA will be a big loss to the BJP.
“If you look at South India, then you would see that a major ally of NDA has quit the alliance. I think this will be a big loss to BJP,” he said.
#WATCH | On AIADMK breaking alliance with BJP and NDA, Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav says, “…It is their matter. I won’t be able to say much on this. DMK is very strong in Tamil Nadu. Congress and DMK alliance there is very strong. An NDA meeting was held a few… pic.twitter.com/nt7plElemv— ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2023
On AIADMK’s decision to sever ties with the BJP-led NDA, Jharkhand Congress chief Rajesh Thakur said that the AIADMK’s move indicates that the ‘BJP’s days are numbered’.
VIDEO | “Many regional parties have severed ties with the BJP. Now the AIADMK has snapped the ties which indicates that the BJP’s days are numbered,” says Jharkhand Congress chief @RajeshThakurINC on AIADMK’s decision to sever ties with the BJP-led NDA. pic.twitter.com/Swu0b3wUZ5— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 25, 2023
Congress leader Rashid Alvi alleged that BJP doesn’t respect its allies and this is a good step by the AIADMK.
#WATCH | On AIADMK breaking alliance with BJP and NDA, Congress leader Rashid Alvi says, “This is a good step. If they have understood the ideology of NDA and BJP and took this decision after careful consideration and not for any bargaining with BJP, then it is a good step…BJP… pic.twitter.com/xaLOd9myhk— ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2023
WHAT HAPPENED IN 2019 LOK SABHA POLLS IN TAMIL NADU?
In 2019, the BJP was wiped out in Tamil Nadu and its partner AIADMK was decimated to only one seat. On the other hand, the DMK-Congress alliance won 30 (Congress 8 & DMK 24) out of 39 seats in the state.