In a significant development ahead of the upcoming parliamentary polls in Tamil Nadu, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has forged an alliance with TTV Dhinakaran’s Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), marking a strategic move in the state’s political landscape.Under the seat-sharing agreement signed at Kamalalayam on Wednesday, the BJP allocated two Lok Sabha seats to AMMK, solidifying their partnership within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Additionally, one Lok Sabha seat each was allocated to AC Shanmugham’s New Justice Party, John Pandian’s Thamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, and Devanathan Yadav’s India Makkal Kalvi Munnetra Kazhagam.
Speaking to reporters after the pact was sealed, AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran expressed his party’s commitment to supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bid for a third consecutive term. Dhinakaran emphasized the importance of alliance success over numerical considerations, asserting that his party would contest in its stronghold of Thanjavur with the symbolic cooker symbol.
Dhinakaran also addressed recent comments made by Annamalai, a prominent BJP leader, regarding Dravidian parties. He stated that those born in Tamil Nadu are inherently Dravidians, dismissing any attempt to differentiate between political affiliations based on regional identity.
Highlighting the electoral strength of AMMK in the Delta and Southern regions of Tamil Nadu, Dhinakaran underscored the potential for victory among alliance members. He welcomed others to join the AMMK fold, citing the party’s significant vote bank in key constituencies.
In response to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, Dhinakaran criticized the party, accusing it of deceiving the people of Tamil Nadu.