Erode East by-poll: Modi 'returns' to AIADMK alliance

CHENNAI: A day after Edappadi K Palaniswami assured that the AIADMK-BJP alliance would continue in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai were included in campaign banners of the Dravidian major.

Reports were rife of AIADMK and BJP parting ways following the saffron party's uncertain stance in the upcoming Erode East bypoll. Curiously, when the OPS-EPS faction feud reached Supreme Court and Election Commission AIADMK banners excluded Modi and Annamalai's pictures and rechristened National Democratic Alliance to National Democratic Progressive Alliance (Desiya Jananayaga Murpokku Kootani). These developments from AIADMK gave ammo to the rift reports.

With OPS withdrawing his candidate and EPS retaining the 'Two-Leaves' symbol, the Kongu strongman asserted his leadership and had sent feelers to the BJP camp of a continued electoral partnership.

In this context, while inaugurating an election office of the AIADMK in Erode's Perundurai road, the banner read "AIADMK-led National Democratic Progressive Alliance". Later last evening, the alliance name was changed to "National Democratic Alliance" in another banner.

In the other, KS Thennarasu was mentioned as "AIADMK alliance's candidate". But in all these banners, AIADMK leaders MG Ramachandran, J Jayalalithaa and Edappadi K Palaniswami's images alone were featured. Modi and Annamalai's pictures were conspicuously missing.

However, in the fifth banner, the national party's leaders images were added along with other alliance party leaders.