BJP's national leadership will decide on the alliance in the State for Lok Sabha elections 2024 next year, said AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday.
Addressing the media persons in Salem, Palaniswami as per The Hindustan Times said, AIADMK's relationship with BJP will be discussed with the party’s national leadership and not the state leaders.
He said even when J Jayalalithaa was alive BJP's national leaders used to directly speak with her about the alliance.
The statement of Palaniswami came after state BJP leader K. Annamalai's "interpretation" of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement. Annamalai said that those who know Hindi can "interpret" Shah's speech well. He said that the alliance is intact now but the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are far away.
However, EPS' statement has sent out a clear message that the party's general secretary is ready only to hold talks with the BJP high command after a tiff with the BJP state leadership.
While Amit Shah said that AIADMK will continue to be an ally of the party, Annamalai has been constantly opposing the decision. A row in the alliance started after BJP members joined AIADMK in the presence of EPS.
Initially, BJP state IT wing president CTR Nirmal Kumar quit the party to join EPS-led AIADMK. After CTR Nirmal Kumar, other BJP IT wing members left BJP after hitting out at TN BJP chief Annamalai to join the 'two leaves' party.
Meanwhile, EPS said, "Not only Nainar Nagendran but all leaders who had quit the AIADMK party should rejoin it."
The former CM said that MGR faced multiple challenges and so did Jayalalithaa while starting the party
So, similarly we will also emerge victorious despite the issues, said EPS.