AIADMK’s SP Velumani on Thursday lashed out at BJP leader K Annamalai “who spoke too much and caused the AIADMK-BJP split.”
When Velumani was asked about Annamalai’s criticism of AIADMK, he replied, “BJP state president spoke a little too much against the AIADMK yesterday. Our ties with BJP were intact when Tamilisai Sounderarajan and L Murugan were state presidents. The rift in the alliance was only because of Annamalai’s speeches. Winning and losing elections is normal. Annamalai is the reason why AIADMK left the BJP alliance. If the same alliance had lasted now, it would have won 30-35 seats today in the polls. But, after doing all that, today again he is criticising the AIADMK. There is no need to come and criticise the AIADMK. He has conducted false campaigns against the AIADMK but we got more votes this time than last election. Annamalai has got less votes than CP Radhakrishnan who had already contested on behalf of the BJP. Definitely, AIADMK will win in 2026. Edappadi Palaniswami will become the chief minister.”
Meanwhile, BJP leader Annamalai replied to Velumani’s statement and told media in Coimbatore that “AIADMK leaders said it was only because of BJP that they lost several seats in 2019 and that they would get more votes in 2024 since they parted ways with BJP. This development only shows that there is some internal rift between Velumani and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.”
