Chennai, August 11
Senior BJP leader Vanathi Srinivasan on Tuesday sought to play down speculation over a possible political understanding between the BJP and the DMK in Tamil Nadu, saying there was little point in predicting an alliance before the parties themselves had taken any such decision.
Her remarks came amid growing discussion over possible political realignments in the State following the formation of the government headed by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. The movement of several leaders between parties since the change of government has added to speculation over new political combinations ahead of the next parliamentary election.
The debate gained momentum after DMK MP Kanimozhi Somu said there were no permanent friends or enemies in politics and that her party would welcome anything that benefited Tamil Nadu, irrespective of where it originated.
Her remarks prompted questions over whether the DMK was indicating a possible shift in its approach towards the BJP, with which it has traditionally been at odds in Tamil Nadu politics.
Asked whether Kanimozhi Somu’s statement could be interpreted as opening the door to a future DMK-BJP alliance, Vanathi declined to be drawn into speculation.
“When a DMK-BJP alliance is formed, they will tell you. It appears that you are forming the alliance even before it is actually formed,” she said, taking a swipe at the speculation surrounding the issue.
While Vanathi did not categorically rule out the possibility of such an alliance in the future, she made it clear that no such political arrangement had been announced at present.
Tamil Nadu’s political landscape has witnessed considerable churn since Vijay assumed office, with several leaders, including some former AIADMK ministers, changing their political affiliations.
Against this backdrop, statements by senior political leaders on potential alliances are expected to attract close attention as parties begin positioning themselves for the next parliamentary election.
