Days after the BJP, AIADMK and PMK announced their grand alliance to form the NDA front in Tamil Nadu, BJP National President Amit Shah has made it clear that all campaign programmes in the state will henceforth be publicised as NDA events. In a video doing the rounds on social media, Shah is seen sitting with Tamil Nady Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, BJP State President Tamilisai Soundararajan and other leaders, stating that the NDA front will be highlighted henceforth.
“All programmes will be NDA programmes,” Shah says repeatedly, perhaps to drive home the point that despite AIADMK being the biggest party in the alliance in TN, it cannot be called an AIADMK-led front.
BJP State President Tamilisai Soundarajan can also be heard translating Amit Shah’s words to the other leaders in Tamil. AIADMK co-ordinator O Panneerselvam had met Amit Shah two times at the Madurai airport when the latter visited the State.
The BJP National President also added that CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, OPS and all alliance leaders must be present at the NDA’s Kancheepuram rally, which will be held on March 1.
The BJP confirmed its alliance with the AIADMK and the PMK in Tamil Nadu for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday. While the national party will be a minority, contesting from five seats in the State, the PMK has been allotted seven seats. Seat allotment for the AIAMDK in the State is yet to be announced.
As the AIADMK and BJP will join hands, the DMK and Congress will come together to form the other major alliance in Tamil Nadu ahead of the General elections. That the DMK and the Congress would join forces for the election had been obvious from the time DMK President MK Stalin had declared that he would like to see Rahul Gandhi as the next Prime Minister. The DMK was also in the race to get the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) to join this alliance, but could not meet PMK Chief S Ramadoss’ demand for seven seats in the Lok Sabha polls.
On the other hand, both the alliances have been attempting to rope in the DMDK, led by actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth, to join them. Sources say that the AIAMDK had already held talks with Vijayakanth, but the results have been inconclusive.
Don’t miss this one. Please listen carefully :) pic.twitter.com/jq3npv2A04
— Sriram (@SriramMadras) February 22, 2019