BJP leaders deny arm-twisting AIADMK govt.

: While criticising the ruling AIADMK’s move to elevate V.K. Sasikala as the Chief Minister, State BJP leaders denied that the national party had sought to arm-twist the AIADMK after Jayalalithaa’s death.

State BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan and party national secretary H. Raja dismissed as baseless the suggestion that the BJP’s plan to expand its base in Tamil Nadu has been defeated by Sunday’s developments.

“What is the evidence that we wanted to gain political mileage after Jayalalithaa’s death. When we are concerned about the stability of the government in Tamil Nadu, why should we create trouble in the ruling party? But you must keep in mind it was the AIADMK MLAs who first elected Mr. O. Panneerselvam as their Legislative Party leader and he is functioning well. Changing a Chief Minister frequently will affect the stability of the State,” Ms. Soundararajan argued.

Mr. Raja told

The Hindu that his party remained neutral in its position on the political development but was forced to react when Ms. Sasikala’s husband M. Natarajan unnecessarily dragged the BJP into the picture and accused it of attempting to saffronise the State.

“Of course our object is to saffronise. We are not here to paint the State with black, red and white colours. Every political party is interested in expanding its own base,” he said.

Mr. Raja rejected the argument that the BJP government at the Centre sought to arm-twist the AIADMK government by conducting raids at former Chief Secretary P. Rama Mohana Rao’s office and home. “The Income Tax Department acted on definite information and it does not matter who is the Chief Minister of the State. If the department has information about black money, it will act,” he said. Mr. Raja also said the people of Tamil Nadu had a genuine concern after Mr. Natarajan openly supported family politics. “People fear that the Mannargudi (Sasikala’s) family will interfere in every wing of administration,” he charged.

“I have travelled across the State and every cadre is carrying the photograph of Ms. Deepa (Jayalalithaa’s niece),” he claimed. adding that the party cadre preferred her to Ms. Sasikala.