Chennai:
The AIADMK-BJP alliance is off for now, the Tamil Nadu party announced today, furious over state BJP chief K Annamalai’s comments on the late CN Annadurai, the mentor of AIADMK founder MGR.
“We will decide on the alliance before the election,” said senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar. “Annamalai is unfit to be the BJP’s state president… He speaks ill of late leaders only to project himself,” he added.
Mr Jayakumar said when Mr Annamalai had made critical remarks about AIADMK leaders including the late J Jayalalithaa, the party had sought that the BJP leader be restrained. The party workers will not tolerate any insult to the late chief minister, he said.
“Annamalai doesn’t desire alliance with AIADMK although BJP workers want it. Should we tolerate all this criticism of our leaders? Why should we carry you? The BJP can’t set foot here. Your vote bank is known. You are known because of us,” the former minister told reporters. “We can’t tolerate any more (the criticism of leaders),” he said.
Asked if this was his personal opinion, Jayakumar said, “Have I ever spoken to you in that capacity? I only talk what the party decides.”
