Former Tamil Nadu minister and Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) deputy general secretary K P Munusamy has firmly denied any rethink on the party’s decision to sever ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party and National Democratic Alliance in Tamil Nadu and said that it will be looking at new tie-ups in the state going forward.
Munuswamy declared on Wednesday that the AIADMK would not backtrack on their decision to break ties with the BJP.
Speaking to reporters in Krishnagiri, Munusamy alleged that the state BJP chief, K Annamalai, continued to make remarks against former Chief Minister C N Annadurai and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palanisami, despite the party passing a resolution opposing him. He mentioned that this behavior had left the party’s cadres deeply hurt and angered.
In a significant blow to the BJP-led NDA, the AIADMK broke all ties with the party on Monday, attributing the decision to the actions of the national party’s Tamil Nadu unit. The AIADMK announced its intention to form an alliance with an alternative front for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
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Munusamy stated, “An important meeting involving senior leaders, district secretaries, MLAs, and MPs took place on September 25 under our party General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami. Reflecting the sentiments of over 2 crore cadres, it was unanimously decided to exit from the BJP-led NDA.” He also dispelled rumors of a return to the BJP.
Responding to Chief Minister MK Stalin’s dismissal of their decision as drama, Munusamy said, “Chief Minister M K Stalin has called our decision a drama, but it shows nothing but their fear. I want to reiterate that AIADMK will form an alliance under the leadership of Edappadi for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.”
Regarding speculation that the AIADMK was urging the BJP to replace Annamalai as Tamil Nadu BJP chief, Munusamy dismissed it as childish. He said that the AIADMK, a party with a 30-year history of being in power, would not engage in such trivial actions.
Munusamy mentioned that AIADMK remained committed to advocating for the welfare of Tamils in Parliament and securing necessary funds for the state’s development.
He also stressed that the AIADMK’s decision extended beyond the upcoming Parliament elections and would also apply to the 2026 Assembly polls. The party intends to establish a new alliance under the guidance of its general secretary and actively participate in the elections, he said.