AIADMK insecure over growth of ally BJP in Tamil Nadu

Kolkata: BJP's national Vice President and former West Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghosh seems to be in no mood to honour his party high command's order barring him from making media statements against its leadership.

Just a day after BJP's national General Secretary and headquarters in-charge, Arun Singh sent an email communique to Ghosh on this count, the latter was in his usual maverick mood on Wednesday morning.

"What is this censorship all about? I have not received such communication from the party high command. Of course, the media persons have shown me a copy of some purported letter," he said, indirectly questioning the authenticity of the censorship letter. In the letter that Singh forwarded on Tuesday, it was said that that certain statements and outbursts by the latter have not only angered the state party leaders, but also embarrassed the central leadership.

In TN, the Opposition AIADMK seems to be insecure over the growth of its ally BJP in the National Democratic Alliance in Tamil Nadu. The drift started after the BJP announced that it would contest the urban local body polls on its own and that the AIADMK wanted to know the grassroots strength it had in the state.

This did not go down well with the AIADMK leadership even though the Dravidian party maintained a studied silence. However, of late the aggressive postures taken by the new state president of the BJP and former IPS officer, K. Annamalai seems to have created a feeling of insecurity in the AIADMK state leadership.

While senior leaders like O. Panneerselvam and K. Palaniswami did not utter a word against the BJP, second rung party leaders started commenting against the saffron party.

Former Minister and party leader C. Ponnayian in a two-day workshop of the AIADMK think tank, 'Puratchi Thalavi Peravai' for its office-bearers, said that the growth of the BJP does not augur well for the AIADMK, Tamil Nadu, and Dravidian politics.

The AIADMK leader came down heavily on the BJP and said that the national party was in doublespeak on issues that are close to Tamil Nadu including the Cauvery river water sharing as well as Mullaperiyar issue. Ponnayian while addressing party leaders said that in the Cauvery issue, BJP Karnataka unit was against the interests of Tamil Nadu in sharing of waters while the Tamil Nadu unit of the saffron party was silent and a mute spectator.