The day after Rajinikanth shocked everyone with his withdrawal from entering active politics, the Tamil Nadu politics did business as usual.
While the difference of opinions between the ruling AIADMK and it’s NDA ally BJP continued, the opposition DMK today moved Madras High Court against AIADMK workers indulging in distribution of Pongal cash incentive and gifts.
AIADMK continued it’s assertion that chief minister Edpppadi K Palaniswami is the CM candidate for the upcoming Assembly polls, but its ally, the BJP today said the NDA coordination committee would take a final call on the CM.
Addressing press conference in the presence of BJP Tamil Nadu president L Murugan after a meeting of organisers of assembly constituencies and in-charges, BJP national secretary and Tamil Nadu in-charge C T Ravi said once the NDA comes to power in the state, the NDA coordination Committee will take final decision about the chief minister.
While asserting that its relationship with its alliance friends were open and cordial, he said the seat sharing will be finalised once the elections were announced. Ravi’s remarks comes at a time when senior leader and AIADMK deputy coordinator K P Munusamy, during the launch of party’s election campaign, had bluntly told BJP that there was no question of sharing power or Cabinet berths i f the AIADMK-led Front wins the polls and retained power for a third time.
On Monday CM EPS also said that the people of Tamil Nadu will not accept a coalition government and so the sharing of power after election is out of debate.
Taking potshots at National parties often blaming the Dravidian parties–AIADMK and the DMK–of ruining the country and the State, Munuswamy in a veiled reference to the BJP, said it has to accept Mr Palaniswami as the CM candidate and should not demand a share in power or else the saffron party should rethink its options.
Meanwhile DMK today moved Madras High Court against the alleged involvement of ruling AIADMK cadres in distributing the Pongal cash and gift announced by the State government.
The petition was filed by DMK MP R S Bharathi. In the petition, Bharathi stated that since the AIADMK cadres are distributing the tokens, many people will not receive it.
Bharathi requested the Court to take the petition for hearing at the earliest. The Court has said that it will consider Bharathi’s request. Chief Minister Edappay K Palaniswami announced Rs 2500 and a gift kit for all ration card holders in the state as Pongal gift from the government this year a few days back.