In a crucial meeting held in Chennai on Wednesday, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami delivered a clear directive to the party's district secretaries: ensure the victory of the alliance in all constituencies, including those allotted to allies. This strong message comes amid the BJP's persistent push to contest a larger number of seats to expand its footprint in Tamil Nadu.
Pressure Mounts in Alliance Negotiations
The meeting of district secretaries revealed ample indications that the AIADMK leadership is facing significant pressure from its national ally, the BJP, to allocate more seats for the upcoming elections. Palaniswami asserted that alliance-related issues would be handled directly by him, while assuring functionaries that "good parties" would join forces with the AIADMK-led front to achieve the desired electoral outcome.
A former minister from the southern region highlighted the complexity of the ongoing negotiations. "The BJP is asking for more seats to accommodate OPS (O Panneerselvam) and TTV (T T V Dhinakaran) within the BJP fold in the alliance. Our leader may have agreed to such an arrangement, but seat-sharing is going to be a tough call," the leader stated.
Countering Anti-BJP Sentiment on the Ground
In a significant move, district secretaries were specifically instructed to actively reach out to voters to counter the prevailing anti-BJP sentiment in the state. This grassroots campaign aims to improve the alliance's overall electoral prospects. The directive underscores the challenge the alliance faces against the DMK's campaign, which paints the BJP as a "communal force" thriving on divisive politics.
Even eight months after reviving electoral ties with the BJP, Palaniswami has been consistently defending his decision. He used his statewide election campaign, ‘Makkalai Kappom, Tamilagathai Meetpom’, to justify this political stand. Functionaries have been tasked with reaching out to people to negate the so-called "BJP factor" in the polls.
Focus on Voter List and Future Alliances
During the meeting, Palaniswami also expressed his displeasure that the AIADMK was not on par with the DMK in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He asked party functionaries to focus intensely on their respective districts and constituencies to ensure that no AIADMK supporter's vote is excluded.
On the topic of expanding the alliance, a former minister quoted Palaniswami as saying, "Some (potential allies) are in talks (with us). I ensure a good alliance is in the making. It will be good for everyone." The AIADMK chief guaranteed that he would never take a decision against the collective good of the party and its dedicated cadres.
The developments signal a critical phase for the AIADMK-BJP alliance in Tamil Nadu, with seat-sharing talks poised to be a major test of cohesion and strategy ahead of the electoral battle.
