Chennai: BJP Tamilnadu unit president L Murugan, who called on Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in Chennai on Friday, said he met him to thank him for the AIADMK’s support for the farm Acts and the State government’s swift action in the PM KISAN scheme scam.
However, though he said he welcomed the AIADMK’s announcement of Palaniswami as its Chief Ministerial candidate, he refused to answer to questions whether Palaniswami would the CM candidate of the NDA in Tamilnadu.
This comes close on the heels of senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan saying that the party’s alliance with the AIADMK was only for the Lok Sabha polls.
Radhakrishnan said the BJP’s alliance for the Assembly polls could be with the AIADMK. Or it could be with the DMK, or we can form an alliance on our own. There is a possibility for everything, he added.
Reacting to it, DMK treasurer T R Baalu said, “the DMK’s alliance decision has to be taken only by the DMK president, M K Stalin, not by others”.
Radhakrishnan, while reacting to the developments in the AIADMK, said “This has thwarted the expectations of those who were waiting to take political advantage of the differences of opinion among the AIADMK leaders. I congratulate Palaniswami on his being elected as CM candidate and I also greet Panneerselvam who has taken the decision.”
Asked whether Palaniswami could be projected as the CM candidate of the AIADMK-led alliance, Radhakrishnan said, “That could be decided at the time of elections. But I am sure in 2021 Assembly elections, whichever party allies with the BJP will form the government in Tamilnadu.”