Chennai: The state BJP is not inclined to test its strength in the upcoming Assembly election banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity wave alone. It wants smaller parties to rally around it. “Smaller parties or caste based organisations will make a significant difference during polls. They can strengthen the NDA in the state and can tilt the scales in our favour in certain sensitive pockets,” claims BJP’s former state president C.P. Radhakrishnan. Besides him, party senior and national executive committee member L. Ganesan and state vice president Vanathi Srinivasan have been holding parleys with various groups.
Among the various castes, the BJP is keen on wooing the Devendra Kula Vellalar community with a sizeable presence in the southern districts, which wants to be included in the MBC category. Union minister of state for road transport, highways and shipping Pon Radhakrishnan who has set in to motion poll work in his constituency holding consultative meeting with party members in Kanyakumari district to help draft the BJP’s election manifesto, says “the BJP is involved in efforts to strengthen the NDA.” He indicated that a formal announcement on alliance would be made soon.
Admitting that it would be difficult to decide on the alliance at this juncture, BJP state vice president M. Chakravarthy claims the presence of a formidable ally in the NDA would put the party at an advantageous position. Party president Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan who is confident of forging a strong alliance, has formed about ten teams to review the poll preparedness of the party.
