Chennai: The BJP finds itself isolated in the state elections as DMDK chief ‘Captain’ Vijayakanth appears to have cold shouldered its invitation for reviving their NDA of 2014 Parliament poll. The star-politician has decided to join the DMK-Congress alliance and a formal announcement is expected soon he meets DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Friday.
Some media reports had earlier said Union minister Javadekar appealed to Vijayakanth to agree to NDA revival in Tamil Nadu and promised Captain he would be the alliance’s chief ministerial candidate.
Javadekar had faced humiliation at the hands of the DMDK chief on March 3 when he went to Chennai hoping to clinch the alliance but the latter chose to go away to his Rishivandiyam constituency. Javadekar made it seem like an official trip visiting the Anna University.
It was no better in his earlier visit to Chennai on February 28, though he maintained to the media that he had “fruitful talks” with Vijayakanth and he would come back after the Union Budget for finalising the alliance. All the NDA partners would meet on March 12, it was then announced. But now it seems almost certain that the meeting’ will not be held as the NDA is in tatter — the DMDK has reportedly said ‘yes’ to the DMK and the PMK has announced it would go it alone.
Both the BJP and the PMK find themselves isolated, at least for now. “We are prepared to face the elections alone. The interviews to choose our candidates will be completed on Monday”, a BJP senior told DC, insisting that his saffron party is not red-faced after Captain’s snub.
In the last state poll in 2011, the BJP had contested 190 out of the total 234 seats and drew a blank, getting a mere 2.2 per cent votes. Every major party has at least one ally in this state poll in May, barring the BJP and the PMK. At least the PMK has a reasonable case—it insists that any party wishing to join its alliance must first accept ‘chinnayya’ Dr Anbumani Ramadoss as the CM candidate.
