CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP, as well as its central leadership, expressed satisfaction over being allotted 27 seats in the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the upcoming Assembly elections.
Amid a prolonged tug of war within the DMK-led alliance over seat-sharing, the BJP appears to have settled for one seat fewer than the Congress, signalling a tactical choice to prioritise alliance cohesion and present a united front. It has to be noted that few other smaller parties like Puthiya Needhi Katchi and Indhiya Jananayaka Katchi, are expected to contest in a few more seats in BJP’s Lotus symbol.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal termed it a “golden day” in Tamil Nadu’s political history. He added that the BJP is satisfied with the 27 seats and would contest the elections as a united alliance. “We will remove the corrupt government of MK Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin, who are anti-Tamil,” he said. Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagenthran echoed similar sentiments.
BJP vice-president RN Jayaprakash said the party settling for 27 seats reflected Prime Minister Modi’s “magnanimity” and commitment to alliance dharma. “If you look at the DMK’s alliance partners, including the Congress and Left parties, many of them do not have a proven vote share. In contrast, the BJP secured more than 11% in the Lok Sabha elections. Despite this, we have prioritised unity and have agreed for 20 seats, which is in fact 30% higher than what we got in 2021,” he said.
BJP contested in 20 seats in 2021 and won four. BJP leaders said they had submitted a preference list of nearly 75 constituencies from which they expect allocations.
However, the seat-sharing announcement has dampened the morale of a section of BJP cadre, who expected the party to secure more than 30 seats, especially in light of its improved performance in recent elections, including pushing AIADMK to the third place in regions such as Chennai.
“Apart from maintaining alliance cohesion, the party should focus on its own growth. This feels like a step back from the momentum gained in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” said a BJP functionary. Many BJP supporters also expressed similar sentiments on social media on Monday.
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