For months since the hospitalisation and subsequent death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the ruling AIADMK appeared to be doing the bidding of the NDA government at the Centre and the BJP. The ruling party also chose to fall in line on matters such as the Food Security Act and the UDAY scheme, which Jayalalithaa had opposed tooth and nail.
Critics also alleged that the BJP had a hand in the coming together of the factions of the AIADMK led by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and his predecessor in office O. Panneerselvam.
However, developments in recent weeks indicate that the two parties no longer share the same bonhomie and the AIADMK appears to be keen on asserting itself as a strong independent regional player. Observers attribute this to factors such as actor Rajinikanth’s announcement that he would enter politics, the AIADMK’s defeat in the Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar Assembly constituency and the BJP miserable performance in the same bypoll.
While the AIADMK government had expressed its opposition to the provisions of the triple talaq Bill, it also sought to assert itself at the recent GST Council meeting. Besides, several second-line leaders of the party are openly mocking at the BJP. Senior AIADMK leader and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha M. Thambi Durai, at a public meeting in Karur recently, took a dig at the national party saying it could not even secure more votes than NOTA.
“No national party can defeat us. You can only compete with NOTA and not with the AIADMK,” Mr. Thambi Durai said, in obvious reference to the BJP’s performance in the R.K. Nagar bypoll. He also told a television channel, “No power can wipe out the Dravidian movement. You can see how the national parties are eroding. These days, national parties cannot even secure their deposit.”
When asked about his statement, a senior AIADMK leader and former Minister accused the BJP of not allotting necessary funds to Tamil Nadu. “We have been supporting the BJP government in the Centre only for the benefit of the State, but we are not getting the funds.” Asked about the AIADMK’s stand in the GST Council meet and on the triple talaq Bill, the leader said the policies are against the welfare of the people and they have to be “opposed tooth and nail.”
On Governor’s review
However, the ruling party continues to endorse Governor Banwarilal Purohit’s inspections and interactions with officials in different parts of the State.z
Queried on the relationship between the AIADMK and the BJP, State BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan contended that the party was never behind any internal developments in the regional party. “It was the speculation and claims made by others. We were never behind anything in the AIADMK.”
The BJP’s intention was only to “ensure a stable government” in the State. The party would continue to oppose the AIADMK if the actions of the State government were anti-people. “We have opposed the bus fare hike which would affect the general public,” she said.
Nonetheless, political analyst P. Ramajayam contended that the behaviour of both the parties was indicative that they did not need each other any more. The AIADMK has lost its attraction as a possible ally of the BJP with the emergence of actor Rajinikanth on the political landscape, he said.
For the AIADMK too, the support of the BJP is not as critical as it was earlier. “The regional party was warming up to the BJP only when its ‘Two Leaves’ symbol was frozen and its leadership was short of majority in the Assembly. The party has moved past both situations now,” he argued.
