Nainar Nagendran says face-to-face talk with EPS enough for BJP-AIADMK alliance

MADURAI: BJP state vice-president and legislative party leader Nainar Nagendran on Thursday said that just a face-to-face talk with AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami would be enough for both parties to join hands again. The statement comes even as Palaniswami remains steadfast in his decision not to have any alliance with the saffron party.

The BJP leader, however, replied in the negative when asked whether Income Tax (IT) raids on properties owned by a relative of Palaniswami were aimed at coercing the AIADMK general secretary. "There is no need for BJP to forge an alliance in Tamil Nadu by raiding party leaders. If we speak directly to the opposition leader Palaniswami, the alliance will be formed," said Nainar adding that such raids were not confined to the AIADMK alone. "The central agencies had conducted similar raids on properties of several DMK leaders as well," he said.

Addressing reporters on the sidelines of the 128th birthday celebrations of freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, held at the district BJP office in Tirunelveli, Nainar said that if not for Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, freedom would not have come easily to the Indian nation.

On Chief Minister MK Stalin slamming Governor RN Ravi for paying floral tributes to a saffron portrait of saint-poet Thiruvalluvar, Nainar said: "Thiruvalluvar dates back to 5,000 years ago and belongs to Tamils all over the world. No individual can claim him. The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has just crossed 70 years."