Dhinakaran quitting fresh setback for NDA amid DMK’s strong posturing

CHENNAI: The AMMK’s exit from the NDA has further eroded the alliance’s position against the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance.

This setback not only weakened the AIADMK-BJP alliance but also bolstered the DMK-led front’s narrative, reinforcing its position in the evolving political climate ahead of the Assembly polls next year.

Mirroring the move of expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam, who parted ways with the NDA a month ago, TTV Dhinakaran announced on Wednesday that he would also sever ties with the front. This development comes amid uncertainty surrounding the BJP-AIADMK alliance’s former partners–PMK, which is facing a vertical split, and the DMDK.

Visibly upset, Dhinakaran’s remarks on Wednesday conveyed not only a sharp criticism of AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami, whom he labelled the epitome of “betrayal,” but also revealed his deep dissatisfaction with the BJP for letting him down.

The AMMK leader made it clear that his efforts to “reunite the true loyalists” of the late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa had come to nothing. However, he sent a message of broader discontent with the saffron party and its national leadership, despite extending “unconditional support” to the NDA during the Lok Sabha elections.

In fact, his words echoed the sentiments of Panneerselvam’s political advisor, Panruti S Ramachandran, who stated, “There is no need for us to explain what the BJP has done to us. The entire nation knows.”

“In politics, timing is everything,” said a senior AMMK functionary, referring to Dhinakaran’s decision to walk away. He added that the BJP’s national leadership had shifted its strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections, choosing to align itself with Palaniswami rather than with Panneerselvam and Dhinakaran, with a reportedly considerable influence in the Thevar belt.

“They will come to regret sidelining our leader and Panneerselvam. Without their support, the AIADMK–BJP front has no realistic chance of challenging the DMK alliance,” said a former MLA from Dindigul district. This would aid the DMK in further strengthening its narrative against the AIADMK-BJP alliance to strengthen its position, he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, political analyst Priyan Srinivasan observed that the BJP is currently adopting a “wait and watch” approach. He said that the saffron party would focus on TN only after the Bihar elections.

“The BJP has the capability either to reunite the AIADMK or dismantle it, all depending on what serves their interests best. So, the possibility of the BJP playing the OPS and TTV cards closer to the elections cannot be ruled out,” he said.