BJP demands for power sharing; AIADMK nips it in the bud

BJP has been flexing as it wants to leapfrog dominant ally AIADMK and ensuring a Chief Minister that is to its liking. This has led to a lot of anger and disdain in AIADMK.

Chennai: Attempting to expand its support base by occupying more political space, the BJP has been flexing its muscles of late much to the chagrin of its NDA ally, the ruling AIADMK. From a mere 2 per cent vote share in the last three assembly elections, when the party contested alone, it wants to leapfrog to be a dominant player in Tamil Nadu politics. This has increased the irritants between the parties with an unyielding AIADMK finding it unpalatable, creating strains in the tenuous relationship.

What has irked the AIADMK most was the demand of the BJP for power-sharing. BJP veteran H Raja made this demand, enthusing the party cadre. “The next government in Tamil Nadu will be one in which the BJP will be a partner,” senior party leader H Raja had said. Going a step further, party state president L Murugan said, “Only a person to the liking of the BJP will be the next Chief Minister.”

Earlier, Murugan had claimed that the party which has grown in strength on its own could win around 60 assembly seats.

This was not to the liking of the AIADMK and it had made it known with some plain-speak. “There is no question of the AIADMK acceding to a coalition government. The question does not arise at all and the people of the state would not entertain such a proposition. We are confident of winning the coming assembly elections with an overwhelming majority,” was how AIADMK veteran and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, shot down the idea, nipping it in the bud.

It was not without reason that the Minister had chosen to rebuke the BJP. This is also a message to other allies in the AIADMK-led NDA in the state, dreaming of a share in power. Tamil Nadu had never seen a coalition government. For, the two Dravidian parties, the opposition DMK and the AIADMK, the coalition government has been an anathema thus far. Hence, this demand found no favour from the AIADMK which turned it down.

With a meagre 2 per cent vote share, the BJP in the state has been a marginal player. Yet, the party being in power at the Centre gives the leaders more visibility though it has not helped translate into votes. As such, the party appears to be biting more than what it could chew. Adding to the discomfiture of the AIADMK is the BJP holding the 'Vel Yatra', covering all the six iconic abodes of Lord Murugan amidst the pandemic. Vel (spear) is the weapon of Lord Murugan, a Tamil deity aka Karthikeya or Subramanya. The Government had denied permission and arrested Murugan and others for defying the ban. It was an unexpected move, which even took the BJP by surprise.

Now, the Dravidian major, facing compulsions to keep its electoral base and support of minorities from further erosion, is considering to offer not more than 10 Assembly seats to the BJP in the coming 2021 elections. Though BJP leaders have been very vocal about their expectations of getting more, the AIADMK is unlikely to be magnanimous, party sources said.

According to analysts, the BJP is not merely flexing its muscles as a bargaining tactic to secure more seats to contest. “It's intent is clear. The saffron party is eyeing more political space so that it could expand its sphere of influence. The AIADMK is not unaware of the BJP growing at the cost of allies like the Shiv Sena and the Janata Dal (United). Hence, the strain in the ties between the two. It might not reach a breaking point. But, AIADMK beginning to assert itself has to be taken note of,” explains P Ramajayam, teaching at Bharathidasan University, Trichy. Also a state co-coordinator of Lok Niti, he added that with elections just months away, the AIADMK has begun to realise the burden of carrying the BJP on its shoulders.