CHENNAI: Former union minister S Thirunavukkarasar, who quit the BJP a few days ago, said the party was under the control of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and it has become more communal in nature.
Addressing reporters along with TNCC president K V Thangkabalu at the Satyamurti Bhavan here on Thursday, he said he decided to join the Congress as he felt that the people of the state were disillusioned with the policies of the saffron party.
Thirunavukkarasar, who resigned his Rajya Sabha membership, said he had always wanted to serve the people by being closer to them. He added that he was joining the Congress without any pre-conditions.
Asked why he chose to join the BJP, the former BJP national secretary said he decided to join the party because of the persuasion of former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee. ``He (Vajpayee) is no longer in active politics. L K Advani is also to retire from active politics. Now, the RSS has its grip on the BJP and is becoming more fundamentalist in nature,’’ he said.
Thangkabalu welcomed Thirunavukkarasar to the party. He said that a meeting would be held in the first week of December to welcome him to the party fold. He revealed that AICC president Sonia Gandhi or AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi may attend the meeting.
Thirunavukkarasar said he had worked honestly for the growth of the BJP in the state. ``During the last Assembly elections and the parliamentary polls this year, I tried my best to gain the support of the people, but failed,’’ he said, adding he ‘‘had now realised that he would not be able to fulfil his aspirations (to remain closer to the people) if he remained in the party any longer,’’ The former Union Minister merged his party, MGR-ADMK, with the BJP in 2002. He was made a Member of Parliament from Madhya Pradesh.
In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, he unsuccessfully contested from the Ramanathapuram constituency.
Saying that he had distanced himself from the BJP after the LS polls, Thirunavukkarasar said he did not regret the decision to leave the party. He further said that he had met the top BJP leaders in person and intimated his decision to leave the party.
Reacting to a query, the former AIADMK leader who was very close to MGR, said he joined the BJP while he was a sitting MP.