State Information Minister Kadambur C. Raju on Friday said former Union Minister Pon. Radhakrishnan was speaking against the BJP’s electoral alliance with the AIADMK out of extreme frustration.
According to him, the BJP and the people of Kanniyakumari (a constituency represented by Mr. Radhakrishnan in the past) have sidelined the former Union Minister. Mr Raju was responding to a question about Mr. Radhakrishnan’s recent remarks that the BJP would align with either the AIADMK or the DMK or even form a front under its leadership for the next Assembly polls in 2021.
Speaking to reporters at Kazhugumalai on Friday, Mr. Raju said Mr. Radhakrishnan was neither a national-level leader in the party nor the president of BJP’s State unit, which was being held by L. Murugan, who had clarified that the electoral alliance with the AIADMK was intact.
The Minister claimed as the Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, was fulfilling all poll promises given by late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa during the 2016 election campaign and performing exceedingly well even to win accolades from the Prime Minister for his anti-COVID-19 operations, Mr. Murugan has also lauded the administration.
“Either the BJP high command or Mr. Murugan, in the capacity of the BJP’s State president, can say something on the electoral alliance. As they have backed the Tamil Nadu government, we need not give any importance to the views of Mr. Radhakrishnan, who is speaking out of frustration as both the BJP and the people of Kanniyakumari have sidelined him,” said Mr. Raju.
He also informed that the Chief Minister would visit Thoothukudi on October 13 for reviewing anti-COVID-19 operations and also the ongoing development works.
