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SP Velumani’s comment reflects his own views: AIADMK’s D Jayakumar

Jayakumar said the AIADMK's decision to face the polls without aligning with BJP was not just for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls but would continue in future too.

ByPTI

Published Jun 08, 2024 | 3:38 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 08, 2024 | 3:38 PM

D Jayakumar. (X)

The AIADMK has already made its stand clear that it has severed ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the comments by party colleague SP Velumani are his personal views, senior leader D Jayakumar said on Friday, 7 June.

Velumani, a former state minister on Thursday, 6 June, blamed BJP state chief K Annamalai for the split in AIADMK-BJP ties ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and claimed that had the poll alliance remained intact, the combine would have won 30-35 seats.

Briefing reporters, Jayakumar said the AIADMK’s decision to face the polls without aligning with BJP was not just for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls but would continue in future too.

“The comments made by (Velumani) reflected his own view. I cannot comment on that. But, generally, people used to tell that we might have won by aligning with that party and all. What is the stand of our party is most important,” he said.

“Our party’s stand is that we should proceed in a straight line. Are we proceeding in a straight line? Yes. A unanimous decision was taken at the district secretaries’ meeting in 2023 and also at the party headquarters meeting, which is to sever our ties (with BJP). That includes for future elections also,” he explained.

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On Annamalai’s comments

Referring to the comments made by Annamalai that the BJP’s vote share has increased in the state in the 19 April, polls, Jayakumar said that compared to the 2014 elections the BJP achieved less in the 2024 elections, and asked why Annamalai did not talk about it.

“In 2014 elections, AIADMK under the leadership of the late J Jayalalithaa contested alone while BJP faced the poll by aligning with other parties like PMK (Pattali Makkal Katchi). Even in the 2024 elections, AIADMK contested alone but its vote share has gone up while the BJP’s decreased. Why he (Annamalai) did not say that?,” Jayakumar asked.

He rebuked Annamalai for “commenting as a police officer and not as a leader of a national party”.

On the statements issued by expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam that AIADMK should unite, Jayakumar made it clear that their association with Panneerselvam has reached its end.

“We will not encourage any kind of talks with them at any stage,” he said.

Jayakumar said that the party supporters were encouraged that the BJP was not able to win a single seat in Tamil Nadu despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the state eight times to seek votes. “We will face the 2026 elections with full vigour,” he said.

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