NDA in Tamil Nadu not united even as 2024 general elections near

CHENNAI: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is a non-starter in Tamil Nadu even as the 2024 general elections are a few months away. The AIADMK, that can give a run for money to the DMK in Dravidian politics, wants to head the alliance in Tamil Nadu which the state BJP is reluctant to abide to.

More than this, the AIADMK and BJP are at loggerheads after the arrival of K. Annamalai, a former IPS officer, as the state president of the BJP. Annamalai also came out against AIADMK on several occasions, accusing the AIADMK senior leaders of corruption.

AIADMK, which is the only party after DMK that has a ground base in Tamil Nadu, came out against the BJP president and his antics. In a recent meeting held in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited AIADMK supreme leader, Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) which didn't augur well with the state BJP.

Another ally of the NDA, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), is also not in full support of the BJP in Tamil Nadu with the party wanting to take the leadership of the NDA in the state much to the dislike of the AIADMK.

With two major associates of the BJP, wanting to head the alliance, there is a general feeling of mutual distrust and this has led to the NDA puffing and panting in the state.

Sources in the BJP told IANS that the party is trying its best to bring the coalition in good stead but it has to be seen how the three major parties that are pulling in different directions could go forward.

R.K. Mohanachandran, researcher and social activist while speaking to IANS said, “If the NDA alliance does not settle their internal bickering, it will be difficult for the alliance to get seats from Tamil Nadu as the DMK-led front is very much active at the grassroot level with several new social welfare schemes. With elections only a few months away, the BJP national leadership will have to iron out differences and fight the elections.”