Target DMK, the common enemy: BJP top brass to AIADMK

Avoid heated debates with each other – this was the principal message that emerged from the meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the AIADMK’s general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Wednesday.

The meeting, which lasted nearly 50 minutes, was held at the residence of the Union Minister in New Delhi. It was attended by the BJP’s national president J.P. Nadda and State unit president K. Annamalai, and the AIADMK was also represented by K.P. Munusamy, P. Thangamani, S.P. Velumani, C.Ve. Shanmugam and D. Jayakumar.

A senior leader of the Dravidian party, who was present in the discussion, said Mr. Shah and Mr. Nadda, too, were of the view that the target of political attack should be the DMK, which was “our common adversary,” and its government.

After Mr. Annamalai assumed charge as the BJP State president around one-and-a-half years ago, the spat between the AIADMK and the BJP seemed to be getting louder. A month ago, the AIADMK admitted nearly a dozen members and functionaries of the BJP, which the latter termed as poaching. A few weeks ago in Salem, Mr. Palaniswami openly showed his discomfort when asked about Mr. Annamalai.

Asked whether the issue of seat sharing came up during the discussion, the leader replied in the negative and said the deliberations focussed on bringing Mr. Annamalai and the AIADMK closer.