BJP hopeful of an alliance with Rajini, tie-up with AIADMK not final

Actor Rajinikanth’s decision of launching a new party in January 2021 has given fresh impetus to the BJP’s long-term plan of making a significant dent in Tamil Nadu politics. BJP sources reveal that it is still hopeful of striking an alliance with Rajinikanth for the Assembly polls notwithstanding the AIADMK’s announcement of a tie-up with the BJP.

An alliance between the AIADMK and the BJP for the 2021 Assembly elections is not a done deal. The announcement of a tie-up by AIADMK leaders O Panneerselvam and Edappadi Palaniswami was more a political act by the party and not a formal step taken by the BJP, sources in the saffron party state. They point out that Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in whose presence the announcement was made by OPS, did not respond to this claim or affirm the alliance. While it can be said that Shah did not deny the AIADMK claim, BJP sources say he did not get the full portent of the AIADMK claim as it was made in Tamil.

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Further, Shah was aware that he was not the leader designated to make such a call since any such announcement would have to come from the BJP high command in Delhi, by the party’s national president or the party in charge for Tamil Nadu. In this case, the national president and the state in charge were not in the picture, and, therefore, Shah knew that he could not comment on it or make any statement on behalf of the party.

BJP sources maintain that it had always been the party’s strategy to rope in Rajinikanth into the party, or at least have an alliance with his outfit. Therefore, in the current scenario, when Rajinikanth has finally confirmed his foray into the electoral arena, the BJP would stand by him as it was part of the BJP’s agenda for long.

The BJP has been trying hard to break the domination of the Periyarist, Dravidian plank in a key state like Tamil Nadu. The party has viewed the Dravidar Kazhagam and the DMK (partly the AIADMK, too) as its ideological adversary. RSS strategists have been urging the BJP unit in the state to take a firm stand against the Dravidian parties and fight them tooth and nail to usher in a saffron upsurge. While the BJP has been largely successful elsewhere in the country, Tamil Nadu looks to be the last frontier.

In this battle against the Dravidian movement, the BJP sees Rajinikanth as a significant weapon (at present the only one available) to counter the forces of Tamil chauvinism. The BJP believes that Rajinkanth could propel the state towards nationalism and Hinduism, although the actor is more keen on spiritual politics rather than religious politics.

Unlike other parties that have their own aspirations and a chief ministerial candidate, the BJP does not suffer from such baggage when it comes to propping up the actor as its CM candidate. Though Rajinikanth has ruled himself out from the race for chief ministership, the BJP believes he would accept such a post if it came his way and would have to yield to pressure from allies and fans.

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Much depends on Rajinikanth’s plans for his party. At the moment, those close to him believe that he will form a front of several parties, have no truck with either the AIADMK or the DMK. Ideally, the BJP would like to be a part of this front. If Rajinikanth is averse to inclusion of the BJP in such a front (for political reasons), he may be persuaded to accept an alliance or seat adjustments with the BJP-led front. Such a strategy may ensure maximisation of seats for the combination, enough to create a hung Assembly.

The BJP will assure Rajinikanth of chief ministership irrespective of pre and post-poll alliances, given the strength of the PMO and the Raj Bhavan. This is the script that is being written by the BJP for Rajinikanth. In case, Rajinikanth is against a tie-up with the BJP, the saffron party will go through the motions of an alliance with the AIADMK but provide necessary assistance to the actor both pre and post poll.

The AIADMK is, therefore, worried over the BJP’s game plan despite overt support from the national party.