The BJP leadership in Tamil Nadu remained non-committal on its alliance with the AIADMK for the urban local bodies elections, with senior leader Pon. Radhakrishnan saying on Friday that president K. Annamalai was empowered to take a decision.
“Mr. Annamalai has been given the power to decide on the alliance with the AIADMK. We are not ready to talk about it now as we have our interview process to select candidates. We cannot think about the alliance now,” he said after a meeting of the party members to discuss the preparations.
Tamil Nadu co-in-charge Sudhakar Reddy said, “As a political party, we are getting ready to face the election. They [the AIADMK] are part of the NDA. You will come to know within a couple of days [about the alliance]”.
Mr. Radhakrishnan said the party had started its poll preparations two months ago and would interview candidates over the next two days. Then, Mr. Annamalai would announce the candidates. The selected candidates would start filing nominations after January 31.
He refused to answer the question of alliance even while the AIADMK entered into talks with the Tamil Maanila Congress. The relationship between the two parties is under strain following remarks made by BJP MLA and former AIADMK leader Nainar Nagenthiran against the AIADMK during a protest to seek justice for a girl student who died in Thanjavur district.
