SIVAGANGA: AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran said on Sunday that he would rejoin NDA if the chief ministerial candidate of the alliance is changed.
This comes amid Dhinakaran accusing the BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran of being in the backdrop of him and OPS quitting the NDA.
Dhinakaran insisted that the purpose of forming AMMK was to oppose the betrayal of Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS). "How can we accept him as the Chief Minister candidate and move forward?" he asked. "Although I am aware that it is a poruntha kootani (unfit alliance), I have waited, believing the BJP would change the Chief Minister candidate. I am responsible for answering the cadres and the then-MLAs who joined hands with me when the AMMK was formed," he said, adding that they are "okay if the Chief Ministerial candidate is changed."
He recalled a statement by BJP leader Amit Shah, noting that the senior leader never called EPS the Chief Ministerial candidate, but stated that an AIADMK person would be.
"However, EPS adjusted himself as the Chief Ministerial candidate, which was again allowed by Nainar," Dhinakaran said.
Clarifying the charges that Annamalai was behind his move, Dhinakaran said he is an independent person and makes his own decisions. He added that Annamalai, as a BJP functionary, had requested them many times to "remain calm" and promised they would receive proper respect in the alliance.
"I even questioned him about how he could accept EPS as the Chief Minister candidate. It is equivalent to committing suicide if I remain in the alliance with EPS as the candidate," he said, adding, "neither Annamalai is behind TTV Dhinakaran's decision nor is BJP behind AIADMK senior leader Sengottaiyan's move".