Alliance talks gain momentum as Piyush Goyal meets AIADMK leaders

CHENNAI: Alliance moves between AIADMK and BJP gained further momentum on Thursday night with Union Minister Piyush Goyal who is election in-charge of BJP for Tamil Nadu holding talks with senior AIADMK functionaries, including Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister P Thangamani and SP Velumani.

The talks were held at the guest house of industrialist late Pollachi N Mahalingam at Alwarpet. BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan were also present.

Earlier, talking to reporters at the airport, Goyal dropped sufficient hints that the announcement of alliance between AIADMK and BJP will be made soon. Asked about the alliance with AIADMK, he said “In politics, all possibilities are open. At the right time, we will give you the good news with details.” In this connection, he also said “At one point some people thought that there was some misunderstanding between the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and me.  

But it was not so. When I came to meet her, she gave me such a loving reception and treated me like a younger brother.  So, I think very often media jumps the gun. They forget that Prime Minister Modi and Amma (Jayalalithaa) had very close relationship and I am sure of moving forward, we are going  to work together to serve the people.”

“Prime Minister Modi cares for the people of Tamil Nadu and he is very confident that the people of Tamil Nadu also care for him,” Goyal said. “We will work along with our friends in Tamil Nadu to give good election results to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Modi.  Our government will always remain committed for a better future for the people of Tamil Nadu. I have come here to discuss how we will proceed in election and to discuss with my party leaders and other friends to chalk out the path of the future,” Goyal said.

Number of AIADMK aspirants comes down
Chennai: The number of AIADMK aspirants for the coming Lok Sabha elections has come down drastically when compared to the scenario during 2014 elections. For the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, the AIADMK has received 1,737 applications as the last date for receiving applications ended on Thursday. In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, as many as 4,537 applications were received from AIADMK aspirants.

Shah trains gun on DMK, Cong combine
Erode: The DMK-Congress association is undemocratic as they promote dynastic rule, said BJP national president Amit Shah. He was in Erode on Thursday to participate in a party meeting organised by the weaver’s wing at Texvalley in Chithodu. He criticised the opposition parties for being corrupt. Both DMK and Congress were involved in a series of scams. Their intention was not to develop the country, he said.