Tough love for BJP, ADMK factions turn down its ‘advice’ of united front for bypoll

Sources in the BJP and AIADMK said Annamalai called on OPS and EPS along with BJP general secretary C T Ravi. They are said to have conveyed BJP national president J P Nadda’s advice to the two that they work together.

While sources claimed that the BJP had also conveyed to EPS – the official leader of the AIADMK — that they backed him, the BJP is unlikely to take a categorical stand given that the fight for control of the party is still on, and it would not want to end up on the wrong side.

A senior leader close to EPS told The Indian Express that the AIADMK interim general secretary had made it clear that he would stick to his plans for the party, regardless of whether or not the BJP was part of the same. “Any alliance lasts as long as both sides respect each other. We don’t have a reason to attack the BJP, but we can’t let them dictate to us any longer,” the leader said, adding: “They (the BJP) know that very well.”

An indication of the tension was reflected in a tweet by Singai G Ramachandran, the AIADMK IT wing secretary and a youth leader seen as part of EPS’s inner circle. In a rare attack on the BJP since it tied up with the AIADMK in 2017, Ramachandran said: “Who the hell is Ravi to tell us what we should do in our party? Just because you are from a national party does it mean you can dictate anything? Will Ravi be okay if we tell them how they should run BJP in Karnataka?”.

Ramachandran added: “What makes you think that you can advise us when you have not won any election against DMK alone, whereas AIADMK ruled for 30+ years?… Please know your limits!”

OPS, who has the backing of only a small chunk of the AIADMK, is seen as having been propped up by the BJP after J Jayalalithaa’s death. OPS has been trying to project himself as closer to the BJP, to claw his way back. He has also said that he would withdraw his Erode East candidate if the BJP decides to contest.

A senior BJP leader aware of the situation said that Nadda’s advice to EPS and OPS factions was keeping in mind the 2024 elections. “Before the Lok Sabha polls, it’s important that the AIADMK’s warring groups come together to fight the DMK-Congress alliance,” the leader said.

On the Erode bypoll, the leader said: “We haven’t made a decision yet because we are waiting, fingers crossed, to see if there is a chance that OPS will drop his candidate before we announce our support for EPS.” An AIADMK source said BJP leaders will be meeting OPS soon to convince him.

Asked if Nadda’s message was an assertion or more in the nature of a suggestion, the AIADMK leader said it was rather a promise to get back immediately after making one last attempt to get OPS to drop his candidate.

Ravi, who spoke to the media, indicated that a decision might be taken by February 7, the last day of filing nominations. “We all know how by-elections work, especially when the DMK is known to use money and government systems to win. This is already happening in Erode. That’s why the NDA and AIADMK must unite and fight the evil forces,” he said.

Last week, the BJP leadership was said to be considering staying neutral or fielding a candidate in a friendly contest to inject new life into the party in the state. “None of these choices work now,” a senior BJP leader in Chennai said, adding that their only option was to stand with the EPS faction “so that Tamil Nadu gets us a fair number of seats in the 2024 Lok Saha elections”.