The Union Industries Minister and senior BJP leader, Piyush Goyal, was in Chennai to speak at the inaugural of the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024. Chatting with reporters on Monday, the Minister was asked about alliances and Tamil Nadu politics.
As known, the BJP was in alliance with the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu till recently. In September 2023, former CM and AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) announced the decision of his party to snap ties with the national party. He also emphasized that it was the decision of the cadres to break away from the BJP and not just his alone. Since then, EPS has maintained that there was no going back on this decision.
When questioned about the possibility of a BJP-AIADMK alliance in future, Piyush Goyal replied, “I don’t know what is happening in local politics. But we have all heard the phrase that the air is pregnant with possibilities. Life is full of possibilities.”
He further stated, “Everything is possible in life except possibly an alliance between Congress and BJP. That possibility does not exist. The possibility of an alliance between the BJP and AAP or BJP and RJD does not exist because we have never had an alliance with them.” But he also emphasized that the BJP was not desperate for an alliance in any state, let alone Tamil Nadu.
Goyal also spoke highly of TN BJP president, K Annamalai, stating, “He is doing fantastic work in building the party. He is building a popular fanbase which is enviable.” He added that the people of Tamil Nadu were looking for new leaders as traditional politics had lost its charm.
With regard to the INDIA Bloc, he said, “INDIA is just UPA in another name. They have fought together against us in the past. Tell me one place in India where the INDIA Bloc added a single vote to anybody’s kitty outside the state between 2014 and 2024.”