Ahead of the Tamil Nadu assembly elections on April 6, the BJP seems to feel that the charisma of the current CM Edappadi K. Palaniswamy and Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam is not enough to face the Stalin-led DMK party, the main opposition party in Tamil Nadu.
In this context, it is being propagated that the BJP leadership have started trying hard to get the late Jayalalithaa’s close confidante VK Sasikala to join the AIADMK. Information that the Saffron part is pressuring Palaniswami and Panneerselvam to rope Sasikala into the party. However, while Panneerselvam is willing to accept the BJP’s proposal, it seems that Palaniswami is reluctant.
Both the AIADMK leaders discussed with Union Ministers Kishan Reddy and VK Singh, who are in charge of BJP Tamil Nadu elections, and CT Ravi and Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, who are BJP state in-charges.
The two also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Chennai two days ago. It is learned that on this occasion Shah also mentioned the same so that the alliance would be further strengthened.
It is clear that Palaniswami is worried that Sasikala’s presence may form groups in the party and it may slip out of his hands. He told the same to Shah. However, a senior leader of the AIADMK said that the talks had ended without taking any decision on the issue.