BJP wants to fight it alone: Annamalai on poll alliance

CHENNAI: State BJP leader K Annamalai reportedly expressed his views against continuing the ties with the AIADMK and said that the party should sever its alliance with the Dravidian major to grow in the state. However, it did not go down well among the senior leaders who objected to his speech.

Senior leaders -party's national women wing president and Coimbatore South constituency MLA Vanathi Srinvasan and state vice president Narayanan Thirupathy - overtly objected to the views of Annamalai at the state level office bearers meeting held on Saturday in Chennai, according to sources inside the party.

Growing factions and different opinions among the power centres in the BJP's Tamil Nadu unit came to the forefront during the indoor meeting, added the source.

Annamalai, while addressing the functionaries, said that the party should end its ties with the AIADMK to grow in the state. If the party is continuing its electoral tie with the Dravidian major, he would resign as state chief. He sought appointments with top leaders of the party to talk about this and reiterated that he is ready to "resign" and continue to work as an ordinary party cadre if the party is unwilling to disengage with the AIADMK, said sources quoting the Annamalai.

Narayanan Thirupathy intervened and asked Annamalai to explain his views without any ambiguity. Annamalai's supporters booed Thirupathy. Vanathi spoke firmly against Annamalai's remarks and expressed that it was not the forum to talk about alliance. It should be discussed at the core committee and high level forum in the party. Annamalai's supporters have also denounced the party's national women wing president Vanathi, who was also a member of the Central Election Committee of the party. Party's organising secretary Kesava Vinayagam and party MLAs C S Saraswathi, M R Gandhi and party vice president V P Duraisamy were also present on the dais.

When Amar Prasad endorsed the views of Annamalai and said that the party functionaries would remain firm behind him. A section of the functionaries heckled him and charged that he was one of the reasons for internal party disputes.

When contacted for response, Narayanan Thirupathy said it was the party's internal meeting. There is no need to explain or refute what happened in the internal party meeting. Amar Prasad also echoed the same, while Vanathi Srinivasan was not available for comments.

(With inputs from Bureau)