AIADMK, BJP play down Naidu-MKS meet

The ruling AIADMK and the BJP dubbed the meeting of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and DMK president MK Stalin as an insignificant one and opined that the meetings between the two leaders will hardly have any impact on the current political scenario.

Telugu Desam party chief Naidu’s visit to Tamil Nadu not only created political ripples but had forced the BJP and the ruling AIADMK to inch closer towards each other in the state. Though the AIADMK has been maintaining that the party was on its own and there is no influence from the Centre, but both the parties came together firing salvos against the coalition effort using Congress as an anchor.

BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan said that there is nothing new in Stalin and Naidu’s meeting. “BJP is not bothered about these meetings and this is an anticipated one. Further, Naidu terming Stalin as more competent than PM Modi is a joke,” she told reporters adding that the list of those with black money will soon be released causing panic in the Congress.

Responding to a query on Naidu’s coalition effort in TN, Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai called the meeting of Naidu and Stalin as a political drama. There are dual stands adapted by regional parties and such parties will soon get exposed, Thambidurai told reporters.

He also dared Stalin to declare Rahul Gandhi as their Prime Ministerial candidate and clear the air that the DMK does not intent to align with the BJP. “I have been telling that there is a secret alliance between the BJP and DMK. If it is not true, let DMK president Stalin declare Rahul Gandhi as their Prime Ministerial candidate and the doubts would be cleared then,” he said.

Thambidurai pointing to the meeting of Chandrashekar Rao earlier said that he (Rao) maintained silence soon after the meeting. “Now Chandrababu Naidu has met Stalin and he too would go silent soon. These are political gimmicks and we are aware what happens within,” Thambidurai added.

He also said that the AIADMK is ready to face the elections anytime. “Though the notification for the vacant seats has not yet come, the AIADMK has started election work and the leaders are monitoring them,” he added.

Senior BJP leader La Ganesan also slammed Naidu for betraying the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The public will not buy the version of Naidu who has big political ambitions. Further, Naidu’s effort will hardly have any impact at the national level, he told reporters.

While AMMK deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran downplayed the visit of Naidu, the opposition DMK said that the meeting of two leaders has unnerved the BJP and AIADMK. “TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu’s efforts to build an anti-BJP front have unnerved them. It is the need of the hour to save the secular fabric of India,” tweeted DMK women wing secretary andRajya Sabha member Kanimozhi. She also urged the regional parties to join hands to ensure that the AIADMK and BJP are unseated from power.