Willing to align with the BJP-AIADMK if they accept party leadership: TTV Dhinakaran

Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) leader TTV Dhinakaran said on Tuesday the party was ready to align with the BJP and the AIADMK, provided they were "willing to accept his party's leadership". In the same breath, however, Dhinakaran said he knew that the BJP and the AIADMK would not accept this clause.

Dhinakaran's statements come at a time when the BJP-AIADMK combine has been in talks to seal the seat-sharing arrangement. AIADMK's top brass met union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday at a hotel in the state capital for a three-hour-long discussion on the topic. Shah was in poll-bound Puducherry and Tamil Nadu to address public rallies.

"Only you desire to see that I should talk alliance with the BJP and AIADMK ... I know they won't come ... everything will be known in two-three days," he said.


It is being widely speculated that while the BJP is keen on bringing the AMMK within the fold of the AIADMK to prevent a split in the vote bank, as the AMMK commands a following among the Thevar community which is among the traditional vote banks of the AIADMK. The ruling AIADMK though has made no qualms about separating itself from the 'Sasikala faction' that is being represented by Dhinakaran.

Dhinakaran on Tuesday said the AMMK was not holding alliance-related talks with the AIADMK and that his party's only aim was to keep the DMK away from power. He said any party that was against the DMK was welcome to partner the AMMK, subject to them accepting his party's leadership.