MK Stalin: 'Will quit politics if BJP proves DMK in talks for alliance'

DMK Chief MK Stalin on Tuesday said he will quit politics if the BJP can prove that his party is in touch with the saffron party over post-poll alliance.

MK Stalin. PTI Photo

CHENNAI: DMK Chief MK Stalin on Tuesday said he will quit politics if the BJP can prove that his party is in touch with the saffron party over post-poll alliance. Stalin's statement comes hours after Tamilisai Soundararajan, BJP's Tamil Nadu unit president, claimed that DMK leaders are in "contact" with the BJP for a tie-up post-Lok Sabha elections. When asked if the DMK is in contact with BJP ahead of election results, Soundararajan said: "Yes, it's true, they are talking through somebody and establishing contact." "The BJP is all set to win, all poll predictions point to BJP's victory, wherever you go the BJP is winning," ANI quoted Soundararajan as saying. Responding to the BJP's claim, Stalin, a Congress ally, said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Soundararajan can prove that he or his party is in touch with the BJP, he would quit politics. "If Tamilisai and Modi prove I was in contact with BJP to form an alliance with them, I'll quit politics. If they fail to prove, will she and Modi quit politics?" the DMK chief said. "I condemn the statement made by BJP State President." Earlier in the day, Stalin said he saw no chances for a non-BJP, non-Congress "third front" post-Lok Sabha polls, but a decision could be taken only after May 23, the counting day. Stalin's remarks come a day after TRS supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekara Rao, who has been pushing for a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front of regional parties, called on the DMK chief in Chennai. Asked about the possibility of a "third front" sans BJP and Congress, the DMK leader said, "It doesn't seem to me that there is a chance for that." "However, that will be decided only after counting on May 23," he added. Stalin had earlier proposed Congress President Rahul Gandhi's name for the Prime Minister's post and continues to stick to that. The BJP, which had won one seat in the state in the last elections, is hoping to emerge as a player in the southern state. It has forged an alliance led by AIADMK and is contesting five seats in the state. The Congress, which drew a blank in 2014, is contesting nine seats as part of the front led by DMK.