Chennai: AIADMK still part of BJP-led alliance, says TN BJP chief

Chennai: Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai on Sunday said that the AIADMK was still part of the BJP-led alliance. Talking to reporters in Chennai, Annamalai said that his meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was casual and he did not discuss politics. Annamalai said that he had never said that the AIADMK was never part of the BJP alliance.However, he said, "Nothing can be said now that the AIADMK- BJP alliance is final and certain. An alliance is like water and nothing is carved on stone, it can change at any time. With months to go for the 2024 elections, it is not possible to write foreword and conclusion about the constituencies right now."

The BJP leader also said that he had spoken with Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the 2026 assembly elections for more than two hours. Annamalai said, "We have to prepare till BJP wins in 25 constituencies and it is not right to speak about the number of constituencies to be contested at this moment." He said that he was speaking about long-term objective for the BJP and added that even if he lose elections, he would speak like this.The BJP state president said that he doesn't care if there was a setback in promoting clean politics and added that the path taken may not be the same 20 years from now on.

Annamalai said, "If I get a chance to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, you will see clean politics".He said that the corruption list of DMK government would be published on April 14 and added that there was no benefit of winning elections by paying money. Annamalai had drawn flak from several quarters even within the BJP about his statement of contesting polls on its own and to snap ties with the AIADMK.There were reports of the AIADMK scouting other possibilities for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and entering into preliminary talks with political outfits like NaamTamilarKatchi (NMK), ViduthalaiChiruthaigalKatchi (VCK) and DesiyaMurpokuDravidaKazhagam (DMDK) as an alternate option.