AIADMK officially ends alliance with BJP, exits NDA

Chennai : Tamil Nadu's AIADMK has decided to part its ways from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), just a few months ahead of the national election. This decision comes in the midst of a dispute regarding comments made by K Annamalai, the leader of the BJP in the state. The AIADMK accused the BJP leader of intentionally tarnishing the reputation of both its current and former leaders.

The announcement of this separation was made by AIADMK Deputy General Secretary KP Munusamy following a unanimous resolution passed during a gathering of MPs, MLAs, and district leaders in Chennai. Mr. Munusamy stated, "AIADMK is formally ending all affiliations with the BJP and NDA, effective immediately. The state BJP leadership has been making unwarranted statements about our past leaders over the past year."

He also mentioned, "In the upcoming 2024 election, the AIADMK will participate alongside its existing allies."

The alliance was on the brink last week after the former party's D Jayakumar told reporters "we will decide on alliance before the election". "Annamalai is unfit to be BJP's state president. He speaks ill of late leaders only to project himself," he said.

His remarks have sparked conjecture that the BJP is attempting to carve out a political foothold in Tamil Nadu, a state where it has hitherto struggled to gain any electoral traction, in anticipation of the upcoming election next year.