Chennai: The BJP has not given up hope on ‘Captain’ (DMDK founder Vijayakanth) and believes its chief negotiator will convince Vijayakanth and win him over to the NDA and help face the Assembly polls together.
Sources in the saffron party say though the party is aware that there has been compulsion on DMDK’s part to tilt towards the DMK, the BJP central leadership would address this issue and prevent him from shifting loyalties.
During his tête-a-tête with Union minister of state for environment and in-charge of Tamil Nadu Affairs, Prakash Javadekar, Vijayakanth was said to have expressed his displeasure over the Union ministers calling on the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister but totally ignoring him during their visits to the state.
“His major grouse was that the Union ministers of the BJP which forged an alliance in 2014 with his party had not called on him during their visits to the state. Did he exist as a key ally at all, was the impression that he got and he had conveyed this to the minister,” claimed source in the saffron party. He was also believed to have said that the BJP wanted him only during the time of elections and overlooked him on all other occasions.
The BJP is willing to offer him about 130 Assembly seats and also accept him as ‘king’ and not ‘kingmaker’ and may also concede to his demand of keeping the PMK out of NDA for now. Pointing out that Vijayakanth would be making a “wrong decision” if he joined the DMK-led front, a BJP senior said “far from being a king, he would end up as one among the retinue and may not enjoy power sharing.” Nevertheless, the party is likely to explore alternative if DMDK lets it down.
“The alliance will be finalised in about three to five days’ time. The BJP cannot afford to prolong negotiations,” BJP national executive member L. Ganesan said. Almost echoing his views, state president Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan said Mr Prakash Javadekar would soon visit the state to firm up the alliance with DMDK. “We have been holding talks with Vijayakanth. We have an approach to finalise the talks,” Dr Tamilisai who took part in Ganapathy homam organised during the launch of the BJP’s election office at Kamalalayam here, said.
Aspirants interview from March 13: The BJP will set the election process into motion by accepting nominations from party aspirants keen on contesting the Assembly polls, on March 4 and 5. They will be interviewed on March 13 and 14.
Thereafter district-wise conferences will be held throughout the state till March end by which time, the party has planned to open election offices in all the districts. The party is also gearing up for a rally which will be addressed by party chief Amit Shah soon.
