EPS to convince AIADMK leaders, cadres on continuing alliance with BJP

AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) will soon convene a meeting of party's mid-level leaders and convince them to continue the alliance with the BJP.

According to sources in AIADMK, the party leader is also willing to speak to the cadres regarding the decision on a continued alliance with the BJP which he has announced in New Delhi after meeting BJP leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Notably, the AIADMK and BJP relationship had hit an all time low following Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai's regular outbursts against the AIADMK and even openly stating that he preferred to go it alone in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

However, the BJP national leadership is aware that without any Dravidian major by its side, the party will turn into a non-entity in Tamil Nadu and that it's better to piggyback on either of the Dravidian majors, DMK or AIADMK.

While the BJP national leadership was keen for a continuing alliance with the AIADMK, the AIADMK cadres and middle level leaders were not enthused in continuing the alliance with the saffron party.

As per the feedback of the AIADMK, from the grassroots, snapping ties with the saffron party would do the party a lot of good.

The lower level functionaries of the party are of the opinion that if the AIADMK snaps ties with the BJP, Dalit outfits, Muslim outfits and parties like MDMK, DMDK and even NTK of Seeman would join hands with it.

The AIADMK, according to an inhouse survey conducted by it, has assessed that the party would win anywhere between 6 to 7 seats if it snaps ties with the BJP. The survey, according to AIADMK insiders, would fetch even 10 to 12 seats for the party as several Muslim outfits that have turned their backs to the AIADMK due to its alliance with the BJP would come back to its fold.

However, sources in the AIADMK told IANS that EPS took a decision to continue the alliance with the BJP citing far reaching political benefits.

With the BJP firmly in saddle at the centre and possibility of the NDA coming back to power in 2024 polls, AIADMK does not want to be on the losing side and even if it loses some seats in the bargain, becoming part of a winning alliance at the national level is required for EPS.

Amid the preparatory works for the general election, the AIADMK is busy preparing its cadres for the elections and wants to enthuse its cadres as to why it was continuing the alliance with the BJP.

It has been learnt that EPS would directly convene a meeting of lower and middle-level functionaries of the party in the days to come.

--IANS

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