However, BJP sources played down the leader’s statement. (file)
Chennai:
BJP Tamil Nadu president Annamalai and national general secretary CT Ravi met AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, soon after former minister and AIADMK leader C Ponnaiah hit out at the BJP ahead of the bypoll in Tamil Nadu’s Erode East. Assembly Area. The party’s pro-Edappadi faction leader K Palaniswami (EPS) took a jibe at the BJP, saying they were cautious about the national party.
C Ponayan said, “We have seen BJP toppling governments of friendly parties.”
Mr Ponnaiah’s criticism comes after the BJP message to the two factions of the main opposition party in the state, asking them to work together for the bypolls.
However, BJP sources dismissed the leader’s remarks saying that he has good relations with the AIADMK. Today BJP state president K Annamalai also did not take him seriously. “Earlier, he denied making similar remarks,” he added.
The BJP will not contest the by-elections to be held on February 27. Amid a tussle between AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami and his rival, expelled leader O Panneerselvam, the national party said it wanted a candidate from the main opposition party.
The BJP had initially strongly indicated that it would contest the elections, causing a sense of unease in the AIADMK. In what is being seen as a strong message from the EPS to the BJP, Team EPS did not even put pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or BJP leaders in its campaign posters for a few hours on Thursday.
Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai had said, “Being an alliance, we are not contesting the elections.” Mr Annamalai said his party has requested O Panneerselvam to support Edappadi Palaniswami’s candidate.
AIADMK’s EPS faction has fielded KS Thennarasu as its candidate for the seat, while its OPS faction has fielded T Senthilmurugan from the same seat.
Extending his support to the EPS candidate, the Tamil Nadu BJP chief said that he wanted a well-known person in the constituency to contest the election.
“A candidate who is well known in the constituency, EPS candidate KS Thennarasu is a two-time MLA, and we want someone who is the right person to win. We have named O Panneerselvam as the candidate for Edappadi Palaniswami requested to support,” Mr. Annamalai said, adding that he would not interfere in the “inter-party issue” but would prefer that the OPS withdraw the candidate from its faction.
The bypolls were necessitated after the death of Congress leader Thiru E Thirumahan Evra in Erode (East). His father, Congress leader EVKS Elangovan, is the candidate of the DMK alliance.
February 7 is the last day for filing nominations.
The BJP has for the first time openly acknowledged the AIADMK’s efforts to unify it, which it had earlier called its “internal matter”.
This is the first election of EPS after becoming the sole leader of AIADMK. With the Lok Sabha elections due in 2024, he is sending strong signals to the BJP to stay his way.
The AIADMK’s election symbol of two leaves appeared elusive for this election as the expelled OPS is the party’s boss in the records of the Election Commission, and the matter is in the Supreme Court.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court ordered both the factions to decide on a common candidate by sending a circular to the members of the General Council. It had quashed the expulsion of the OPS, pending adjudication.
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