AIADMK days after snapping four-year-old ties with the BJP said the party will form a separate alliance for the upcoming parliamentary elections. AIADMK senior leader KP Munusamy said the party never asked the BJP high command to remove its state chief K Annamalai, India Today quoted him as saying to the reporters. He also said their party will form a new alliance headed by Edapadi K Palanisamy.
A high-level meeting convened by Edapadi K Palanisamy decided to end ties with the BJP at the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai. The party unanimously passed a resolution in this regard. “Honorable General Secretary of Association Revolutionary Tamil Mr.@EPSTamilNaduIn the consultative meeting of the head club secretaries, district club secretaries, club parliamentarians and assembly members held under their leadership, it has been unanimously decided that AIADMK will withdraw from the National Democratic Alliance from today, respecting the opinion and wishes of 2 crore volunteers,” the X (previously Twitter) post of the party reads.
Dravidian party workers burst into cheers and celebrations soon after the decision was made. They hailed the decision by blowing off firecrackers in Chennai.
Commenting on the development, DMK said both parties could come together before polls. Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin referred to BJP and AIADMK as ‘robber and thief’. DMK leader also said his party will emerge victorious in the state in upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
The coalition of the AIADMK and BJP was going through a rough patch for the last year. Dravidian party even accused BJP state chief K Annamalai of disrespecting late chief ministers CN Annadurai and Jayalalithaa. "We are breaking our alliance with BJP and NDA as TN BJP leadership is continuously, purposefully defaming AIADMK and its leaders Aringar Anna and J Jayalalithaa. We will form a new alliance and face upcoming Parliamentary elections," AIADMK said in a statement.
The Dravidian party also sought apology from Annamalai but the latter refused to comply with the demand.