BJP Bid to Bring OPS, TTV into Alliance Hits Roadblock
Amidst rumours that Panneerselvam’s supporters were given three seats, the supporters felt that they would be marginalised.
Chennai: The BJP’s efforts to bring former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), led by T.T.V. Dhinakaran, into its fold, hit a roadblock on Wednesday with both the rebel leaders toughening their stand, after the AIADMK softened its stand on the issue following the negotiations of Union minister and BJP Tamil Nadu election in-charge Piyush Goyal with AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Tuesday.
Dhinakaran and Panneerselvam took a hard stand but deferred a decision on alliance to the Tamil month of Thai. Asked about the negotiations between the BJP and AIADMK, Dhinakaran said ‘others’ cannot decide the alliance for his party.
He asserted that no one could influence him to take a decision since he had faced and emerged from many challenges.
Panneerselvam, who held a meeting of his supporters till late night on Tuesday, remarked that he would teach a lesson to Palaniswami after most of his supporters expressed anger over the refusal of Palaniswami to admit them into the AIADMK and wanted an alliance with actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK).
Former AIADMK minister D. Jayakumar who met mediapersons at the Marina after paying homage on the occasion of party founder MGR’s death anniversary, said a decision on the entry of Panneerselvam and Dhinakaran into the alliance would be taken by the party general secretary.
Party spokesperson and former minister Vaigai Selvan told reporters that party cadre would receive good news about the alliance soon since the alliance talks on the entry of parties into the front was going on.
Dhinakaran, when asked about his inclusion in the AIADMK-BJP-led alliance following the negotiations, said others cannot decide on behalf of his party and that his party will take a decision which is good for the party and Tamil Nadu.
His comments showed that the BJP leadership was not in touch with him till now about his party’s inclusion into the front before or after the talks with the AIADMK.
Addressing the media at Andipatti, in Theni district, Dhinakaran denied reports that he had accepted six seats in the AIADMK-BJP front. Terming the allocation of six seats as rumours, he said the party functionaries were furious at such rumours since the AMMK was formed for self-respect.
He said the AMMK is a live movement and no party can win the next Assembly elections without his party. He said his decision would ensure the entry of a few MLAs from his party into the Assembly.
At the meeting of Panneerselvam’s supporters, the functionaries showed their anger and disappointment over their non-admission into the AIADMK and said a tie-up accepting Palaniswami as the chief ministerial candidate would be suicidal, ending all claims for the AIADMK.
Amidst rumours that Panneerselvam’s supporters were given three seats, the supporters felt that they would be marginalised. They opined that the AIADMK leaders would indulge in backstabbing and ensure their defeat. While a few leaders wanted a tie-up with the ruling DMK, a majority of the functionaries wanted an alliance with the TVK.
The functionaries said they could be easily branded as ‘betrayers’ if they aligned with the DMK and they would lose claims of following the legacy of party founder MGR and his successor J. Jayalalithaa.
