With Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami himself coming out in the open and blaming the BJP-led Centre for all the woes faced by the State, the recent bonhomie witnessed between the AIADMK and the saffron party is all set for a nosedive to the worst in Tamil Nadu.
Speaking to journalists at Madurai on Sunday, Palaniswami said the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) is in the red because of the Centre cutting down the funds to the State Government from 41 per cent to 31 per cent.
“A 10 per cent reduction in the Centre’s aid has resulted in the State suffering a revenue loss of Rs 6,200 crore. We have to pay Rs 6,250 crore for the UDAY scheme this year. We have to adjust for Rs 27,000 crore compared to last year,” Palaniswami said.
When asked about the recent hike in bus fares announced by the Government, Palaniswami said the TNSTC was suffering a daily loss of Rs 12,000 crore after signing of wage revision accord with the trade unions. “The bus fare was hiked with the intention to bring the daily loss to Rs 4 crore,” disclosed the Chief Minister. He also blamed the DMK for the present state-of-affairs of the TNSTC.
“The DMK, which was in power in the State during 2006 to 2011, left the TNSTC with a debt of Rs 3,392.15 crore, Rs 1,528.05 crore as pending dues to the employees and Rs 922.24 crore as pending dues to the retired staff,” Palaniswami added.
Earlier, he had told in a public meeting that the AIADMK Government was maintaining cordial ties with the BJP only to protect the interest of the State. “But we are not getting enough help or aid from the Central Government,” the CM said.
Last week saw a spurt in the wordy duel between the AIADMK leadership and the BJP. Thampidurai, Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, taunted the BJP as a national party which could not poll even the votes bagged by the NOTA.
He was referring to the December 12 by-election from RK Nagar Assembly constituency where the BJP candidate failed to poll the number of votes cast against the NOTA.
Selur Raju, Minister for Cooperation, was more vocal in his criticism of the BJP. “How can a secular party like the AIADMK could have ties with the BJP, a communal party? Our Honourable Amma (late J Jayalalithaa) herself had conceded that the tie the party had forged with the BJP in the past was a mistake,” said Raju.
The AIDMK has already made it clear that the party would not support the Tripple Talaq Bill when it was introduced in the Rajya Sabha. “We are against the Tripple Talaq Bill in its present form and will not support the same,” Anwhar Raajhaa, AIADMK MP, had declared in Chennai which was substantiated by a release issued by the party headquarters.
Though the Tamil Nadu BJP is yet to react to the comments made by the Chief Minister and other AIADMK leaders, there is a discernible sense of dejection among the party leaders viz-a-viz the AIADMK.
“Though we submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister in May 2017, to take steps to rejuvenate the water bodies in south west Tamil Nadu and commence the works of the Athikkadavu irrigation project which has been pending for decades, the Government has not take any action,” said Vanathi Srinivasan, general secretary of the BJP.
Political commentators like Tamilaruvi Manian had made it clear that the BJP should never forge any kind of alliance with the AIADMK. “If the BJP enters into an electoral alliance with the AIADMK, the saffron party is certain to get doomed in Tamil Nadu. This is because the AIADMK is a sinking ship enmeshed in corruption,” Manian had said.