CHENNAI: Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha and senior leader of the AIADMK, M Thambidurai on Saturday reiterated his view that the party was not an ally of the BJP, but was in opposition benches in Parliament and has been opposing many key moves of the NDA government, including GST and NEET.
“If the Centre brings in a good initiative necessary for the country’s welfare, AIADMK will support it. So, having a cordial relationship with the Centre is different from having an alliance. AIADMK is an opposition party to BJP-led government,” he said.
Reiterating the party’s view that it would agree with simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies if held from 2024 and if there is a consensus among all political parties in this regard, Thambidurai said the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu should be allowed to last its full term till 2021.
Responding to a query, he said “In my personal view, instead of holding simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, elections to Lok Sabha can be held in a year and later, elections to all State Assemblies in the country can be held on another occasion.”