The campaigns to elect a President and Vice-President have seen leaders of the two AIADMK factions coordinate extensively with BJP leaders.
The coordination has gone so well that the possibility of a continuing relationship between one of the factions and the BJP has emerged. K. Pandiarajan, MLA and leader of the AIADMK’s Puratchi Thalaivi Amma faction, said the possibility of a future alliance “was not out of the realm of imagination.”
The State unit of the BJP, which has been struggling to increase its cadre base in Tamil Nadu, was handed a rare opportunity to share public space with AIADMK leaders when NDA’s presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind visited Chennai to seek support. “I think the vibes were very positive between the State leaders of the BJP and our leaders. This was during the visit of the Presidential candidate,” said Mr. Pandiarajan, a former BJP member himself.
BJP State president Tamilisai Soundarajan said that the two elections presented a good opportunity for leaders of two parties to appear in public together.
The BJP State unit president would not commit to an alliance; instead reserves the right to criticise the AIADMK. “It is not that we won’t criticise them when we feel there is a need for it. We appreciate them when good things are done,” she said.
Mr. Pandiarajan said that there was a “deep relationship” developing between his AIADMK faction and the BJP. “In my view, there is a very respectful and affectionate relationship Modiji shares with OPS . I think the bedrock of this relationship is this personal connect the two have built over a period of time...I think Modi treats him more as a valuable friend than an ally,” he said.
‘AIADMK unpopular’
A BJP leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that being seen as too close to the AIADMK may backfire for his party. “The State government right now is unpopular. We cannot be seen in public with them too often,” he said.