CHENNAI: BJP State vice president B. T. Arasakumar who praised DMK president M. K. Stalin and even went to the extent of claiming that time will come when the DMK leader would become Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, has landed in trouble. The State unit of the BJP has written to the party high command seeking action against him for his Sunday speech in Pudukottai “favouring” the opposition DMK.
The BJP barred him from representing the party at public fora until the high command decided on the issue. Also, there is a demand growing in the saffron party to divest him of party post.
Arasakumar, however was quick to deny the allegations. He accused the media of “twisting facts,” and vested interests of attempting to defame him. Notwithstanding his feeble justification, the party sought stringent disciplinary action on the educationist-politician who joined the BJP in 2016.
The state unit of BJP on Monday sought disciplinary action against him after a video of his speech went viral. In the video he was heard saying that a ripe time would come for Stalin to become Chief Minister of the State.
According to the party’s state general secretary K. S. Narendran Arasakumar will be barred from participating in media debates or any BJP event till the party high command decides on the action to be taken against him.
Responding to the controversy, Arasakumar said that he had written to his party high command explaining in detail. “I will accept whatever decision my party takes. I am and will remain a BJP cadre. Never do I intend to join the DMK. I attended a function of the DMK cadre. Those who spoke before me said Stalin is the future CM. My speech was on how there is still time for that to happen.”
Who is Arasakumar?
Arasakumar B T popularly knows as BT Kumar hails from Maruthanthalai a remote village in Pudukottai district in the state and heads the BTK chain of educational institutions. He founded the Dravida Vizhipunarchi Kazhagam in 2001 and first contested in 2006 general elections at Marungapuri, Tiruchi and in 2014 Parliament elections as independent in Ramanathapuram district. In 2010, he renamed his outfit National Forward Bloc.
In 2016, he contested the Assembly elections as BJP candidate in Mudukulathur panchayat, Ramanathapuram district. After he joined the BJP, he was rewarded with the plum post of vice president. He had formerly been with the DMK from 1990 - 95 as secretary of the party’s Pudukottai district literary wing.
