BJP may seek big share of seats in AIADMK front

“Our party is planning to demand 50 to 60 seats from ruling AIADMK and the same is being conveyed to the BJP high command,” said a BJP functionary. During the visit of party national secretary CT Ravi, he was briefed about the measures taken by the state BJP unit to strengthen the party.

“The BJP unit is growing in Tamil Nadu and there is a very positive reception to the party. Ranging from celebrities, working class and professionals are joining the BJP,” BJP national secretary Ravi said during our internal interaction and during the press conference.

Just like Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, the BJP top brass has given the assignment to strengthen the party in Tamil Nadu. The agenda is to enter the Assembly in 2021 and emerge as the ruling party in 2026. The BJP had also made it easy for the aspiring cadres. Those who are enrolling members into the party are rewarded with party posts and in past six months, several new wings were created like the Dravidian parties and the next step will be to strengthen the youth and women’s wing, BJP sources said.

Reacting to the BJP’s thought process, a senior AIADMK leader, who is always part of the poll alliance talks wishing not to be named said, “We gave five seats in the Lok Sabha when PM Narendra Modi was seeking a second term. But in Assembly polls, the alliance’s CM candidate is Edappadi K Palaniswami. Going by the previous ratiosand BJP’s vote bank, giving more than 15 seats will adversely affect the prospects of AIADMK in May 2021 polls,” the senior added.