The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has officially announced its break-up with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the party-led National Democratic Alliance on the national level. The decision was announced by party deputy general secretary KP Munusamy following the passge of a unanimous resolution to this effect by party MPs, MLAs and district heads at the party’s Chennai office.

The AIADMK has cited BJP’s constant attacks and defamatory statements on the party and its leaders for over a year behind its decision and said that the move was a protest against it.

Also Read: AIADMK ends alliance with BJP, D Jayakumar says ‘matter will be decided during elections’

“The state leadership of the BJP has been continuously making unnecessary remarks on our former leaders, our general secretary EPS and our cadres for the past one year. In today’s meeting, this resolution was passed unanimously,” said the party.

“It has been unanimously decided that AIADMK will withdraw from the National Democratic Alliance from today, respecting the opinion and wishes of 2 crore volunteers,” AIADMK’s official page on X (formerly Twitter) stated.

The development comes after months of bad blood between the two parties over BJP Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai’s frequient attacks on the AIADMK and the central leadership of the former virtually turning a blind eye.

Also Read: Tamil Nadu: AIADMK passes resolution condemning BJP chief Annamalai for remark on Jayalalithaa

Earlier this month, Annamalai stirred a row with his remarks on Dravidian stalwart CN Annadurai. Citing a 1956 speech by Annadurai that critiqued the Hindu faith, Annamalai sought to make a point that freedom fighter Muthuramalinga Thevar condemned Annadurai.

AIADMK’s spokesperson D Jayakumar had said last Monday that the BJP was no longer in an alliance with his party.

Reports suggest that at a meeting on Saturday in Delhi, a last-ditch effort to save the alliance, AIADMK leaders pressed upon the BJP leadership that Annamalai either be replaced or issue an apology.

The BJP’s central leadership, however, is learnt to have backed Annamalai on the matter, leaving the AIADMK little option other than ending the alliance.

“… leadership does not relish idea of shifting Annamalai as he has been (instrumental in) reviving the party (in Tamil Nadu)… he only made a remark alluding to Annadurai during Sanatan Dharma row,” news agency PTI quoted BJP’s M Chakravarthy as saying.

Annamalai has also been critical of the late former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who remains a revered figure within the AIADMK. At the time, the southern party had demanded the state BJP chief be reined in.

(With agencies)