AIADMK, BJP seal Tamil Nadu's deal for Lok Sabha elections
A day after BJP and Shiv Sena reached an understanding in Maharashtra for the upcoming general elections, the saffron party sealed a deal with AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. As part of the arrangement, BJP will contest on 5 Lok Sabha seats in the state which elects 39 MPs. Railway minister Piyush Goyal announced the alliance and said he was confident of winning.
Notably, AIADMK also joined hands with former bitter rival PMK. About this decision, deputy CM O Panneerselvam said, "The PMK will support the AIADMK in all the 21 assembly seats where by-elections will be held." In return, PMK will get one Rajya Sabha seat. PMK leader Ramadoss said they forged an alliance after submitting a list of 10 demands to CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
The demands include: Implementing 20 irrigation schemes, releasing seven life convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination, implementing total prohibition in phase manner, stopping sand quarrying, scrapping the new contributory pension scheme, defeating Karnataka's Mekedatu dam plan, waiving loans and getting Tamil Nadu students exempted from NEET.
Tying up with AIADMK was crucial for BJP considering its poor performance in 2014. The party which was led by Jayalalithaa back then was snubbed and BJP fought elections with MDMK, PMK, and DMDK, winning just two seats. On the new alliance, Goyal said under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, EPS and OPS will ensure the alliance will sweep upcoming elections.
"All the parties in alliance in Tamil Nadu will strengthen NDA and our target is 140 seats. All will be won by NDA. We start our campaign, we will sweep Tamil Nadu as a mark of respect to J Jayalalithaa. We will work together so that Amma will be happy," added Goyal.
