Is BJP trying to use AIADMK ‘rift’ for TN game?

CHENNAI: Has the AIADMK become a pawn in the BJP’s political gambit? Indeed, the swift and discreet journey of the Edappadi K Palaniswami-led team of the party to meet BJP heavyweight Amit Shah last week has created the perception that the national party is exploiting the differences among senior leaders within the regional party, which is embroiled in splits and factionalism.

Several senior leaders and party functionaries have expressed displeasure over the recent activities of the party leadership, particularly Palaniswami’s sudden visit to Delhi under the guise of visiting the newly inaugurated party office while the assembly session was ongoing. Senior leader KA Sengottaiyan’s discreet meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi added fuel to the fire.

Shortly after his meeting with EPS, Shah tweeted that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would form the government in TN in 2026. It was a tactical move by Shah to checkmate the AIADMK leadership, said a former minister and sitting MLA from one of the southern districts, and added that, “We don’t want to be a pawn in anyone’s political game.” He, however, stated that the party is caught between a rock and a hard place as it has no other choice but to take on the DMK-led front, which has remained united since 2019.

“What transpired in the meeting remains unclear, but one thing is certain that they (EPS and leaders) succumbed to pressure and agreed to the alliance. This goes against the interests of the party and its cadre,” said a senior functionary from the EPS camp. It is a Machiavellian move of the saffron party that would devour its allies in the long run, he said.

Palaniswami’s strong supporter and senior functionary from the western belt, S Semmalai, stated that Shah’s tweet expressed their party’s wish to strike an alliance with the AIADMK, but EPS made it clear that the alliance would be finalised at an appropriate time.

He also dismissed Sengottaiyan’s trip to Delhi as apolitical. “A functionary of the party should seek prior permission from the party general secretary if he or she is travelling outside the State. But Sengottaiyan did not obtain one, so it will be treated as a personal visit,” he said, disapproving of Sengottaiyan’s visit to the national capital.

EPS and his supporters have “totally surrendered” to the BJP to protect themselves and safeguard their interests, said former AIADMK MP KC Palaniswamy, adding, “If the information regarding the Y security cover for Sengottaiyan turns out to be true, it will signal that he is the CM candidate for the NDA. This would be a move to outsmart EPS.”

He stated that if the situation persists, EPS would go down as a passing cloud in the party’s history.