Won’t respond to every Tom, Dick and Harry in BJP on alliance issue: TN minister Jayakumar

CHENNAI: Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar on Thursday said the AIADMK was not ready to respond to every Tom, Dick and Harry in the BJP about the alliance for the 2021 Assembly elections since it gives importance only to the views of top BJP leaders in this regard.  

This follows the contradictory remarks of BJP state president L Murugan and senior party leader Pon Radhakrishnan over the alliance with the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu.

While Murugan asserted that the AIADMK-led NDA alliance would form the government in Tamil Nadu in 2021, Pon Radhakrishnan said the BJP would form a fresh alliance for the ensuing Assembly elections since the present alliance was formed for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He said, “Anything is possible. Our alliance may be with the AIADMK or with the DMK too. Or we may form our own alliance without these two parties.” However, DMK's treasurer TR Baalu has ruled out any possibility for a DMK-BJP alliance.

Asked about Pon Radhakrishnan’s remarks, Jayakumar quipped, "We can respond to the views expressed by the state president of that party or the BJP’s in-charge for Tamil Nadu affairs. We are not ready to react to the views expressed by every Tom, Dick and Harry.”

Jayakumar added, "What I wish to say at this moment is that we value our alliance. On the other hand, everyone knows how the DMK is respecting its alliance parties. DMK general secretary Durai Murugan recently said only when the withdrawal of nomination papers closes, we would come to know who is with whom. But I don't want to respond to Pon Radhakrishnan’s remarks in the same vein now.”

Asked whether there are possibilities for AIADMK-BJP ties to continue, Jayakumar said, "BJP's national leadership should clarify the statements of its leaders. Alliance with a party is our party's policy decision and on that, I cannot say anything now.”

On the remark of DMK president MK Stalin that Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam joined hands again only to rob Tamil Nadu for the next six months when they are in power, Jayakumar shot back: "People know well who had robbed Tamil Nadu and pushed the state to the lowest ebb. So, the people of Tamil Nadu will prove that DMK is an unsuccessful party.”

Questioned about the absence of women in the steering committee, Jayakumar said everyone knew well that AIADMK had been giving opportunities for women in every forum.  Former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was the first to give a 33 percent reservation for women in elections. The party would be forming many more committees -- election committee, campaign committee, etc. -- and women would be given their due representation.