BJP Tamil Nadu president L. Murugan on Friday said he welcomed the AIADMK’s announcement of Edappadi K. Palaniswami as its Chief Ministerial candidate, sidestepping questions twice during the day whether Mr. Palaniswami would the CM candidate of the NDA in Tamil Nadu.
Mr. Murugan met Mr. Palaniswami to thank him for the AIADMK’s support for the farm Acts and the State government’s swift action in the PM KISAN scheme scam.
“I also congratulated him for being nominated as the AIADMK’s CM candidate,” Mr. Murugan told reporters after the meeting. When reporters asked if Mr. Palaniswami was the CM candidate of the AIADMK or the NDA, Mr. Murugan replied, “That’s what I said very clearly now.” A senior office-bearer of the BJP said an appointment with Mr. Palaniswami had been sought several days back, well before the AIADMK tussle to decide the CM candidate happened.
Earlier in the day as well, when the State unit unveiled its “Vetrivel Yatra” programme, Mr. Murugan told reporters, “The AIADMK has announced their CM candidate [Mr. Palaniswami]. I welcome that.”
Vetrivel Yatra
The State BJP unit will hold a one-month “Vetrivel Yatra” across Tamil Nadu covering the Arupadai Veedu, seeking filing of cases against Karuppar Kootam members under the NSA and to give support to Hindus whose religious sentiments “are regularly demeaned by the DMK”. “There will be a big change in Tamil Nadu after the Vetrivel Yatra. The BJP’s MLA will be part of the State Assembly after the next elections. The party that we support will only form the next government with a thumping majority,” he said.
The party will take out the yatra meeting people across the State from November 6 to December 6. “The DMK has made it a habit of insulting Hindus’ sentiments, Tamil gods, and worshipping practices of Tamil people. We want Karuppar Kootam to be investigated and the DMK’s links with them to be exposed,” he said.
BJP TN vice-president K.S. Narendran, who explained about the yatra, said it will pave the way for “anti-Hindus and anti-national forces to be thrown out of Tamil Nadu”.