Chennai: Taunting the principal opposition AIADMK, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai reiterated that the saffron party is the prime rival to the ruling DMK and that the forthcoming Lok Sabha election is a contest only between the latter two. “It is an election for a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and our fight is with the DMK here,” he said.
“Winning elections is no longer dependent upon who is with us. The dynamics of elections have changed and the challenge at present is between the DMK and BJP. We will witness this in 2024,” he told a questioner at a media interaction after a meeting of party functionaries in Chennai on Thursday. In his view, the BJP, under his leadership, has occupied the opposition space thus emerging as the prime challenger to the DMK under Chief Minister MK Stalin.
With a rising chorus within the state BJP against reviving the alliance with the AIADMK, which had severed the ties with its national ally on September 25, Annamalai appeared to be in no mood for reconciliation. And, only the other day, AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) had hardened his stance saying “We are firm in our stance on the break-up with the BJP and the AIADMK will form a winning coalition for the 2024 LS polls.”
Asked whether he regretted the AIADMK's exit, which blamed him for the break-up and not the national leadership, Annamalai said, “I haven't regretted someone having left. My only aim is to make the party strong. I am clear on which way I have to go. Only because we went alone in the civic elections for local bodies, were we able to secure third place. The party has become stronger and the 2024 results would offer proof for this.” Earlier, at the meeting, Annamalai, who returned from Delhi last evening, disclosed that he had apprised the national leadership in detail of the ground reality and the prevailing political situation in the state. “It is up to the central leadership to decide on the alliance,” he had said.
With the desertion of the AIADMK, who would be the constituents of the NDA in Tamil Nadu since most of them have turned fence sitters? He initially shot back to this by saying “You could research and find out.” Then, turning non-committal, he said, “NDA should be strong. Some might join tomorrow. But, then, the party's national leadership, President JP Nadda, will decide on any expansion of the NDA. No party decides in a cutthroat manner. Due diligence is taken, weighing the pros and cons to see, which one is beneficial. The BJP, too, is in such a position.” And according to him that was the reason for the silence of the party central leadership.
“We are clear on whom to fight and 2024 is Modi's election. We will win all the 39 seats in the state,” was his response as to why there is no matching response to the AIADMK's tirade against him and the BJP after the Dravidian major had snapped ties. But, according to analysts, the claim of a sweep appears to be chest thumping and the BJP stitching up an alliance to match the formidable DMK-Congress-led secular combine without the AIADMK is plain bravado. However, what is of significance is that Annamalai will not be replaced despite the exit of the AIADMK, the only major political party in the NDA besides the BJP. That Prime Minister Narendra Modi will grace the conclusion of Annamalai's padayatra, 'En Man En Makkal' (My Land My People) in January, makes it clear that he retains the trust and support of the national leadership. With Annamalai, the former IPS officer, having his way, observers say that the national leadership appears to be left with no other option but to test its strength by ploughing a lonely furrow with an assortment of tiny allies in the battle for 2024.
