Two BJP leaders from Tamil Nadu — Union Minister of State for Fisheries L. Murugan and State president K. Annamalai — on Sunday offered varying interpretations of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement on the party’s alliance with the AIADMK.
While Mr. Murugan, quoting Mr. Shah, said the BJP’s alliance with the AIADMK was “strong”, Mr. Annamalai said both the parties remained in alliance “as on April 2” but added that there were “certain nuances” in Mr. Shah’s statement. He pointed out that there were nine more months left for the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
Addressing reporters in Chennai, Mr. Murugan said, “Our Union Home Minister has said that our alliance remains quite strong and will continue. Our State unit president has said, and I have said it too on many occasions. Leaders of the AIADMK, our ally, have said it too. So, ours is a strong alliance.”
During an interaction with reporters at another event, Mr. Annamalai said, “One should understand or know Hindi to completely understand Mr. Shah’s statement”, which, according to him, had certain nuances.
However, he said, as the State president of the party, he was clear about which way his party should proceed.
“I have not said anywhere that so and so is not in our alliance. Even today, the AIADMK is in our National Democratic Alliance, as an important ally.”
According to him, Mr. Shah said what he had been saying. “....Leaders will take a decision after receiving several inputs,” he said.
On his vision for the party, Mr. Annamalai said: “If we take this path, 20 years later, it would not take us to the place we are supposed to be.”
He said he was not worried about any major setback and was aware that there may be some short-term setbacks.
Differentiating between what he said officially and otherwise, Mr. Annamalai said: “I have not said anywhere in public whether we are contesting alone or otherwise. The comments that I make in public is official. Unofficially, I am saying that the party should grow. But, party leaders will decide whether it has to grow while being in an alliance or otherwise.”
Meanwhile, senior AIADMK functionary S.P. Velumani met senior BJP leader and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday. They happened to be at the Chennai airport at the same time.
