Chennai: Union minister of state for environment and BJP in-charge of Tamil Nadu affairs, Prakash Javadekar is expected to formally announce the firming up of electoral alliance on Sunday after concluding the meeting with DMDK founder Vijayakanth and PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss.
Javadekar who arrived here after attending a function in Nellore on Saturday evening, held talks with smaller parties, IJK and NJP. He will meet DMDK and PMK leaders on Sunday. “I am here for the next 24 hours in Chennai to talk to our allies who have been with us in NDA for 2014 Lok Sabha election and also to explore new partners who want to join NDA,.” he said.
The BJP is exploring new “partners” because it wants like-minded parties to fight the Assembly elections “together,” he explained. “There is also the possibility of other groups who want to fight with us. We want to explore the other groups,” he added. When asked if he would be meeting Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa as indicated by a senior BJP leader (L. Ganesan on Friday hinted at an alliance with AIADMK), the minister replied, “It’s a mere speculation by the media.”
“I will hold talks with leaders of NDA partners and leaders of those parties who are willing to be part of BJP-led NDA. After the talks, we will announce the alliance,” he said before proceeding to a hotel near the airport here.
He met the leaders of New Justice Party, IJK and Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Kazhagam. “The talks were smooth and fruitful,” A. C. Shanmugam, founder of NJP, said.
