BJP top leadership will take call on pre-poll alliance in TN: Annamalai

New Delhi, Mar 28 (PTI) Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai on Friday said the party’s central leadership will take an “appropriate call” on the shape and form of the alliance to be forged in the run up to the state assembly polls next year to dislodge the DMK from power.

His remarks came against the backdrop of talks about possible revival of the AIADMK’s alliance with the BJP ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections due in the first half of the next year after the party’s general secretary and former Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence here on Tuesday.

Asked if there is any possibility of the AIADMK returning to the NDA ahead of the polls, Annamalai told reporters here, “I am not authorised to talk about alliance or the formation of alliance at this point of time.” “As the president of Tamil Nadu BJP, the role that is given to me is to strengthen the party in the state. That is what all of us are trying to do. The leaders are with me, the cadres are with me,” he said.

“With respect to the shape and form of the alliance in 2026 and the nature of the NDA, our leadership will take a call at an appropriate time and naturally the media will be briefed,” he added.

Annamalai was speaking to reporters after a meeting with Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh here.

He said the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections is an opportunity to dethrone the DMK from power as the state has been witnessing allegations of scams and an “all time high corruption” under the party’s rule.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief alleged the state has also been witnessing deteriorating law and order situation and atrocities against women and children under the DMK rule.

“So this election is very important. The DMK should be brought down from power and no vote should get wasted by the votes getting shifted between different parties. Tamil Nadu, as of now, has a five-cornered contest. No where else in the Indian politics you see a five-cornered contest,” Annamalai said.

“With respect to the alliance, you have to understand that for a national party like the BJP, a disciplined party, it is our national leadership that will decide. So, we have committees, we have parliamentary boards which look into a lot of angles before they make the decision,” the BJP leader said.

“We respect our national leadership and they will make sure and look into everything. They will decide how the further course will go,” he added.

On actor-turned politician Vijay criticising the BJP and the DMK at an event in Tamil Nadu earlier in the day, Annamalai said the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founder is doing “politics of speaking” while people appreciate “politics of performance”.

“Very sadly, Mr Vijay has decided to do politics of speaking: just take a mike, criticise the Central government and the state government, and get away with it,” the BJP leader charged.

“People are asking what is the productive solution you are going to bring. Are you solving the issues...Today he talked about the fishermen issue. We are solving the fishermen issue. The BJP is working very hard to solve the fishermen issue,” he added. PTI