AIADMK says all is well in alliance with BJP as Amit Shah predicts end of 'dynastic' DMK in 2021

Chennai: The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on Saturday said its alliance with the BJP will continue for the 2021 Assembly elections and exuded confidence it will win a hat-trick poll next year.

AIADMK top leaders O Panneerselvam and K Palaniswami made the announcement at a government event here, attended by Union Home Minister and BJP veteran Amit Shah.

Chief Minister Palaniswami is the AIADMK co-coordinator while coordinator Panneerselvam is his deputy.

"I would like to inform through this meeting that in the coming election (2021), the victorious alliance of AIADMK and BJP will continue," Panneerselvam said.

Palaniswami, who said Prime Minister Modi and Shah were working towards making the country a superpower, asserted that "the alliance formed for the Lok Sabha polls will continue."

"Our alliance will win maximum seats and AIADMK will retain power," he said.

The AIADMK and the BJP aligned for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, along with others, including PMK, but the combine could win only the lone Theni seat out of the 39 segments in Tamil Nadu, with the ruling party clinching it.

The top leaders' assertion comes in the backdrop of the government's denial of permission to the BJP's Vel Yatra,aimed at exposing the DMK for "lending support" to an atheist group accused of denigrating Tamil hymn 'Kanda Sashti Kavacham', sung in praise of Lord Muruga, citing the COVID-19 pandemic.

The AIADMK had recently lashed out at its saffron ally on the matter and accused it of attempting vote bank politics.

BJP state President L Murugan has been courting arrest in different towns after trying to take out the procession despite denial of permission.

Shah attacks DMK-Congress

Shah on Saturday attacked the M K Stalin-led DMK in Tamil Nadu on corruption and dynasty politics and said it will face a rout in next year's Assembly polls in the state where "democratic forces" will prevail.

In a sharp attack on DMK, and its ally Congress, Shah said the two parties had no right to talk about corruption, asking "under whose leadership did the 2G (spectrum allocation scam) happen."

In his address after dedicating a fifth reservoir for Chennai and laying the foundation stone for various infrastructure projects in the state, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has waged a battle to end dynasty politics, corruption and casteism in the country.

"Under his leadership when we fought state polls, dynasty parties had to face defeat. It is now the turn of a dynasty party in Tamil Nadu, which doesn't function on democratic values but only takes forward dynasty politics," to lose elections, he said, in an apparent reference to the DMK.

The Dravidian party is often accused of practising dynasty politics by its critics, including arch rival AIADMK.

Shah's surprise walk

Shah sprang a surprise when he virtually broke protocol to get out of his vehicle and walk on the busy GST Road outside the airport to greet supporters, minutes after he landed here for a two-day visit of the city.

Shah, who thanked the metropolis for its love, said it was "great" to be in Tamil Nadu.

Police detained a man for allegedly flinging a placard when Shah was walking outside the airport.

"I arrived in Chennai! I am always happy to be in Tamil Nadu. Today I am addressing my beloved Tamil brothers and sisters through various programmes!" he said, tweeting in Tamil.

Several hundreds of AIADMK members joined the BJP cadres in according a rousing reception to Shah.

A political observer commented that Shah's visit was more political and crucial too, and was aimed at fine tuning the strategy to face the Assembly poll next year.