No need to seek alliance, says AIADMK leader

In a bold statement, AIADMK leader and former Minister, D. Jayakumar, asserted that there was no necessity for the party to seek alliances for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Speaking in Coimbatore, Jayakumar emphasized the party’s self-reliance while welcoming other parties to join them if they wished to do so voluntarily. Amidst receiving inputs for drafting the AIADMK’s 2024 Lok Sabha election manifesto, Jayakumar expressed confidence in the party’s ability to form a mega-alliance independently, without the inclusion of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He underscored that, from the AIADMK’s perspective, the BJP was perceived as much of a political adversary as the DMK. Furthermore, Jayakumar made a striking claim regarding O. Panneerselvam, AIADMK’s deposed coordinator, suggesting that he was destined to align with the BJP following the Lok Sabha polls. Responding to queries about the demands of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) for 14 Lok Sabha seats, Jayakumar maintained that it was within the prerogative of the party to make such requests. However, he emphasized that it was ultimately up to the leadership of the major parties to decide on the allocation of seats.