BJP defends PM over OPS’ remarks on merger

However, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami evading questions on the issue said that he was unaware of what Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had said. “I didn’t know the context of his speech,” he added. BJP leader and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan expressed surprise over the Deputy CM’s remarks while party’s state unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan defended the PM’s advice, if any, as one senior leader to another. 

Radhakrishnan said, “OPS is a seasoned politician. I am only surprised to see him make such remarks. There is no way that Modi could have given such an advice.” Radhakrishnan recalled his past meeting with Modi where the PM suggested him to take the political affairs to the BJP president Amit Shah and was entertaining only matters pertaining to the governance. The Union Minister revealed that he, in his personal capacity, had advised many AIADMK leaders with whom he had camaraderie, for a merger. 

Tamilisai said she was not present when OPS met Modi. “I don’t know what transpired in the meeting. It is usual for any senior to intervene in any brawl that he comes across. I believe Modi could have given advice, if any, only in that sense and it should not be tied to any political connotations,” she added. Tamilisai also chided the DMK working president MK Stalin for blaming Modi as to have held ‘kangaroo court’ to unite the warring factions.