A delegation of AIADMK leaders, comprising former Ministers, met BJP president J.P. Nadda and Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on Friday.
AIADMK leaders including S.P. Velumani, P. Thangamani, C.Ve. Shanmugam and Natham R. Viswanathan were part of the delegation. Former Minister K.P. Munusamy, who too is said to be a member of the delegation, however, told The Hindu from New Delhi that he was there for a “private purpose.”
The meeting assumes significance in the light of the AIADMK “calling off” ties with the BJP following the observations made by the national party’s State president K. Annamalai on former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai and the subsequent conciliatory statements from either side.
According to sources in Chennai, the purpose of the visit was to impress upon the BJP national leadership the need to begin preparations, including the formation of committees, for the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
It was also indicated that the five leaders would be a part of a key panel of the party for the 2024 election.
According to the sources, Mr. Velumani also used the opportunity to invite the BJP leaders to the wedding of his nephew, to be held a month later.
Mr. Annamalai who had been facing the flak from the AIADMK, said on Thursday that there was no rift between the two parties. At the same time, he said as the State president, he was not in a position to endorse AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami as the Chief Ministerial candidate during the next Assembly election and it was for the BJP national leadership to decide.
