In 2019, KT Rajenthra Bhalaji made news when he called PM Narendra Modi the ‘daddy’ of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). He was then the minister for Milk and Dairy Development in the AIADMK led Tamil Nadu government. Since then he made his affinity to Modi and BJP clear and it was not a huge surprise when he dashed to Delhi on Sunday amidst reports that he is the national capital to meet BJP president JP Nadda to join the BJP. But that was not to be.
While Bhalaji had gone incommunicado in Delhi, further fueling reports of his joining the BJP, AIADMK joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami had categorically said that Bhalaji will not join the BJP. he added that he was in Delhi on personal errands. Bhalaji had lost his seat in the 2021 Assembly elections and according to AIADMK insiders, had been responsible for the loss of several seats in the Virudhunagar district as well. So while his exit might not have been a huge loss to the party electorally, for EPS, it was a matter of his image as leader in the party taking a hit.
The AIADMK had unambiguously told their ally, BJP, that Bhalaji joining the BJP was not conducive for their alliance. The message, according to sources, was conveyed by OPS to BJP senior leaders. But notwithstanding, Bhalaji continued to lobby.
But the most resistance came from the state unit of BJP and specifically from new party chief K Annamalai. Bhalaji has been a controversial figure in Tamil Nadu. He is known to take extreme positions on issues and has not shied from making his sentiments vocal. When Kamal Hassan had called Nathuram Godse a terrorist, Bhalaji had called for his tongue to be cut off. He had accused DMK of supporting Islamic terrorism and had said that if this continues, “nobody can stop Hindu terrorism”. The DMK and its allies had even petitioned the then Tamil Nadu governor to sack Bhalaji from his position as a minister after this comment.
But his biggest faux pas came in his accusation of private milk companies adding harmful chemicals to milk. As the minister for Milk and Dairy Development in 2017, Bhalaji had said that several private milk operators added chemicals to milk and this could result in health hazards like heart diseases, liver failure of liver and kidney failure among others. While he insisted that around 70 private milk companies added chemicals, he did not substantiate it with any evidence.
Post this, several companies including Vijay Dairy and Dodla Dairy Limited filed defamation suits against Bhalaji and even demanded compensation of Rs one crore each. Justice Karthikeyan had passed an interim order instructing Bhalaji to not “issue any press statements indirectly or directly disparaging privately manufactured dairy products”.
He also faces accusations of accumulation of disproportionate wealth and the case is being heard by the Madras High Court.
The Tamil Nadu BJP used all these issues to argue their case against Bhalaji’s entry into the BJP and added that his joining, while not adding any value, will strain their relationship with the AIADMK. And at this time, when there are no elections in the offing, there is no need to mar the image of BJP as well as risk tension with the AIADMK.