EPS breaks silence on severing ties with BJP

AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), led by its general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, officially announced its decision to sever ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and walk out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). This decision, as stated by Palaniswami, reflects the sentiments of the AIADMK’s vast cadre base and signifies a clear departure from the party’s previous alliance with the BJP. Palaniswami, speaking on the matter for the first time, also hinted at a distinctive approach for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The AIADMK is expected to follow in the footsteps of regional parties like the Biju Janata Dal, YSR Congress, and Bharat Rashtra Samithi by not projecting a Prime Ministerial face. Instead, the party intends to form a “mega alliance” under the leadership of the AIADMK itself. Palaniswami emphasised that this move was a result of extensive consultations within the party. He revealed that party members ranging from headquarters’ office bearers to district secretaries, Members of Parliament (MPs), and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) collectively voiced the sentiments of the AIADMK’s approximately 2 crore cadres during a recent party meeting. Ultimately, this led to a unanimous decision to end the alliance with the BJP.