Chennai: The BJP wants its ally AIADMK’s two warring factions to work together for the upcoming Erode East by-elections, saying that a united front could trump the ruling DMK in this seat.
At a media meet in Chennai on Friday, BJP national general secretary C.T. Ravi said the BJP had advised the two faction leaders to patch up ahead of the polls.
Ravi said there was a huge anti-incumbency wave against the DMK government, adding, “A united NDA and a united AIADMK is much needed to win this by-election.”
“We met Edappadi K Palanisamy (EPS) and O. Panneerselvam (OPS). I will not disclose what we discussed. We have asked them to work together in the interest of Tamil Nadu to defeat the DMK in this by-election,” Ravi told reporters.
The warring factions of the AIADMK, led by former chief ministers EPS and OPS, on Wednesday announced their respective candidates for the 27 February Erode East polls.
EPS announced two time MLA, 65-year-old K.S. Thennarasu as its candidate while the OPS faction fielded 45-year-old Senthil Murugan.
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OPS, however, has said he will withdraw his candidate if BJP fielded anybody for the by-poll. A senior leader of the group said, “The BJP wants all factions of the AIADMK to unite. That has been the stand of our leader OPS as well.”
To the BJP’s advice for a united show, EPS faction’s J. Jayavardhan said, “The BJP has given their suggestion. The party is firm on keeping OPS away as this was the GC (general council) decision and also the aspiration of all AIADMK cadres.”
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Friday asked the AIADMK’s general council to decide on one combined candidate who would contest the Erode East by-poll. The court said the council’s decision regarding the candidate would be conveyed to the Election Commission by the party’s presidium chairman. The apex court also permitted three expelled members of the AIADMK, including OPS to also vote in the general council.
EPS was unanimously chosen as the interim general secretary of the AIADMK by 2,460 members in a general council meeting in 2021. On the same platform, he had vowed to remove OPS from the primary membership of the party.
Even as a legal battle between the two factions is underway in court, the two sides decided to test their might in the Erode East by-polls.
Political analyst R. Mani feels the BJP is not being honest with its cadres and alliance partners by prevaricating on a categorical stand in this situation.
“OPS will act like a spoilsport and cut into the votes of EPS’ candidate,” Mani said, adding the EPS faction has been adamant on its decision to not unite with OPS.
Political commentators said the BJP will work to unite the two AIADMK factions to ensure a tough fight in the 2024 and 2026 elections. “The BJP’s aim is to form a strong NDA in the upcoming polls,” said analyst Priyan.
The Erode East constituency fell vacant after the sudden death of MLA E. Thirumahan Everra earlier this year from a heart attack. His father, former TNCC chief E.V.K.S. Elangovan, will be the candidate for the DMK+ alliance as a Congress candidate.
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