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BJP to induct influential leaders of other parties in poll-bound states

The BJP leaders in some poll-bound states believe that these people will help the party at the ground level, besides weakening the opposition camps…reports Asian Lite News.

In the run up to next year’s Assembly polls in five states, the BJP has planned to induct local influential leaders of other political parties to boost its campaign.

As per the plan, the BJP will try to induct influential leaders from the opposition camps, both at the Assembly and block levels.

Five states — Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur — are scheduled to go to the polls next year.

A senior BJP leader aware of the development pointed out that there are many influential leaders in the opposition camps at the Assembly and block levels who are unhappy with their current organisation due to different reasons.

“We are approaching these disgruntled leaders with a request to join us to serve the people. Those who are ready to serve the people and agree to follow the ideology of the BJP are welcome. There will not be any pre-condition like ticket or other promises for joining the party,” he said.

The BJP is also approaching influential individuals with an offer to join the party.

“We can find many influential individuals at the local level. Many of them are not interested in electoral politics, but are willing to work for the society. We will ask them to join us to serve the people and the society in a better way,” a party leader said.

The BJP leaders in some poll-bound states believe that these people will help the party at the ground level, besides weakening the opposition camps.

A party insider said that feedback will be taken from the local BJP leadership before allowing anyone to join the saffron camp.

AIADMK, BJP wooing PMK to remain in NDA fold

The opposition AIADMK and the BJP are reaching out to the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) to remain in the NDA fold after the latter announced to go solo in the rural local body polls.

The PMK on Tuesday announced that it would contest the ensuing rural local body elections, to be held on October 6 and October 9, alone.

The PMK is the political arm of the powerful Vanniyar community and the previous AIADMK government had ordered 10.5 per cent reservation for the community from within the Most Backward Caste (MBC) fold, a long pending demand of the PMK and its founder leader, Dr S. Ramadoss.

Edappadi K. Palaniswami (left) & O. Panneerselvam (right), Former Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu (Wikipedia)

However, after the DMK government came to power, it announced a Government Order for the 10.5 per cent reservation for the Vanniyar community as well as a memorial for the 21 Vanniyars who were shot dead by the police during the regime of AIADMK leader M.G. Ramachandran on September 17, 1987.

Political observers are of the opinion that the DMK was trying to woo the Vanniyar community to get a stronghold in North Tamil Nadu where the community is strong. The announcement by the state president of the party and also an MLA G.K. Mani that the PMK would contest the rural local body polls alone was a shocker for the AIADMK-BJP combine. and hence the firefighting operation began quickly.

Sources in the BJP said that senior leaders of the party in New Delhi have already communicated to the PMK youth wing leader Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, who was a minister in the Atal Behari Vajpayee Government, to stay back in the NDA fold in Tamil Nadu.

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Much at stake for DMK and AIADMK in local body polls

While the DMK is preparing to fight it out and win the local body polls, the AIADMK does not appear to be on a strong wicket to take on the ruling front…reports Asian Lite News

After the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections this year that brought the DMK to power, the next political battle will be the local body polls.

Ministers in the DMK government have made claims about their handling of the Covid crisis — the increase in testing for Covid-19 cases and vaccinations. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has asked district-level leaders of his party to undertake a massive grassroots campaign highlighting his government’s handling of the Covid crisis in the state.

A shrewd politician, Stalin has gone on record to state that it was the relentless campaign of the DMK and the present Tamil Nadu government that led the Central government to announce OBC reservation for admission to MBBS and PG medical seats under the All-India quota. This has been a longstanding demand of the OBC communities in the state and the DMK had been campaigning for it.

The Chief Minister told the DMK’s district-level office-bearers on Friday to conduct a campaign on the issue.

Senior DMK leader and state water resources minister, S. Duraimurugan, told IANS: “The DMK government under Thiru. M.K. Stalin is moving ahead, keeping the promises given to the people of the state. You can see the change after our government came to power. As a political party, we are preparing ourselves for the local body elections and I can assure that we will win the local body elections handsomely.”

While the DMK is preparing to fight it out and win the local body polls, the AIADMK does not appear to be on a strong wicket to take on the ruling front. After it was defeated in the Assembly elections, the power struggle in the AIADMK between two former Chief Ministers, K. Palaniswami and O. Panneerselvam has caused fissures in the party. Former interim general secretary of the party, V.K. Sasikala, was expelled from the party but is regularly communicating with party cadres and junior functionaries in a bid to stay afloat in the AIADMK’s power politics. A victory in the local body polls would help it, except that it does not appear to be up to it, yet.

Interestingly, both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam have an excellent rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP national leadership. Party cadres believe that the intervention of the BJP brass would lead to a truce between the two leaders, in time for the local body elections. Commendable victories there would help the party politically.

Senior leader of the AIADMK and party Deputy Coordinator, R. Vaithalingam, while speaking to IANS, said: “There is no rift in the AIADMK. We are a democratic political party and we have a huge support base across the state. You must understand that after 10 years in power, we lost the 2021 Assembly elections after giving a tough fight to the DMK and in the local body polls we will register emphatic victories.”

Political observers are of the opinion that the DMK’s decision to issue a Government Order on 10.5 per cent reservation for the Vanniyar community in professional admissions and government jobs is a political move to enter the strongholds of the Vanniyar community. The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), which is the political arm of the Vanniyar community, is a part of the AIADMK front and the DMK government has issued the GO with an eye on the local body polls — and to get the maximum support of the PMK. PMK founder president, Dr. S. Ramadoss thanked the Chief Minister soon after the GO was issued.

The DMK is also trying to consolidate its hold over the Muslim community and the Dalits through its alliance with the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) as part of its efforts to score a huge win in the local body elections.

Member of Parliament and leader of VCK, Thol Thirumavalavan, told IANS: “The local body elections are grassroots elections and the DMK-led front, of which we are a part, will win the elections by a very good margin. The DMK government has done extremely well after assuming office and this will be reflected in the local body polls. We are prepared for the local body elections and party cadres and functionaries are all geared up for the elections.”

While the Election Commission has yet to issue a notification for the elections, political parties in Tamil Nadu, especially the Dravidian parties, are busy strengthening their bases and attempting to stitch together new coalitions.

C. Rajeev, Director, Centre For Policy and Development Studies, a think-tank based out of Chennai and a political analyst said: “The local body polls are an avenue for the DMK to test its popularity among the public and for the AIADMK a major opportunity to bounce back into the political space of Tamil Nadu. Both the Dravidian parties are taking up the challenge and are formulating plans and strategies to take on the opponent headlong and to ensure electoral victories.”

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Rift in AIADMK widens over opposition posts

Edappadi K. Palaniswami

At the meeting held at the AIADMK headquarters on Monday, 61 of the 66 MLA’s threw their weight behind EPS, forcing Panneerselvam to accept the ground reality…reports Asian Lite News

AIADMK coordinator and former Deputy Chief minister O. Panneerselvam (OPS) who was pipped by former Chief minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) for the post of Leader of Opposition, has rejected the party offer of the post of Deputy leader in the Tamil Nadu assembly.

At the meeting held at the AIADMK headquarters on Monday, 61 of the 66 MLA’s threw their weight behind EPS, forcing Panneerselvam to accept the ground reality. A senior leader of the party who is also a legislator, while speaking to IANS said, “OPS had tried to push the name of former Speaker P. Dhanapal for the post of opposition leader but in vain and he left the party headquarters in a huff”.

This rift, which was there in the AIADMK ever since Jayalalithaa passed away and Sasikala was arrested in corruption charges, was settled amicably by the intervention of the central leadership of the BJP with even Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home minister Amit Shah involving directly in talks with the two leaders.

However, with the party out of power and the Thevar community, one of the major support base of the AIADMK in South Tamil Nadu, dividing their votes between AIADMK and AMMK of TTV Dhinakaran, the AIADMK had to bite the dust in South Tamil Nadu.

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The rejection of the post of Deputy leader by Panneerselvam is a clear indication that he will not lie low in the party and there are possibilities of a rift.

Political observers feel there could be a realignment of forces with the powerful Thevar community backing their own leader, Panneerselvam. The possibilities of Sasikala and Dhinakaran extending support to Panneerselvam is also not ruled out.

P. Sivakumar, journalist and political observer while speaking to IANS said, “AIADMK is losing its Thevar base in South Tamil Nadu and it was mainly due to the split of votes to AMMK of Dhinakaran. While Dhinakaran lost in Kovilpatti, the split has helped DMK garner victories in these traditional AIADMK bastions. This will trigger the rift and OPS rejecting the post of Deputy leader is an indication that the future is not rosy for the AIADMK and EPS. If caste turns into a factor, then EPS, a Gounder will face stiff opposition from the Thevar community and it has to be seen whether Sasikala and Dhinakaran will support OPS in this fight.”

If the AIADMK was in power, these minor rifts could have been given a go by but with the party out of power and even the selection of opposition leader turning into a bitter experience, days ahead will be tough for EPS.

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