BackJaya says AIADMK not team B for BJP in TN
AIADMK chief says that this election will see a non-Congress, non-BJP government formed by regional parties
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Chennai: J. Jayalalithaa, chief of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), on Tuesday ruled out a post-election alliance with the front runner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying a grouping of regional parties would be forming the Union government.
“Other parties have been levying charges that Jayalalithaa is not criticizing the BJP in her election speeches because she has a hidden agenda," the Tamil Nadu chief minister said at an election rally at Aarni in Thiruvallur district, about 114 km from Chennai.
“Let me clarify to you, I am not team B for BJP," she said. “We are always team A, the winning team."
Stressing her point, Jayalalithaa criticised the BJP for not including issues of concern to Tamil Nadu—such as troubles its fishermen face, the Sri Lankan Tamil issue, or the Mullaperiyar dam dispute—in its manifesto released last week.
Jayalalithaa said the ongoing national election is meant to end the “mis-rule" of the Congress party after its 10 years in government and to expose the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) that was a part of the United Progressive Alliance government.
This election will see a non-Congress, non-BJP government formed by regional parties coming together, said Jayalalithaa, who in recent months has made clear her national ambition.
The general council of the AIADMK on 23 December stated it wanted to see Jayalalithaa become the Prime Minister.
“Do not waste your vote by voting for other parties—they will not form the government—as it will only split the votes, but vote for AIADMK which is going to be part of the Central government," Jayalalithaa said at the rally.
Tamil Nadu will elect 39 candidates to the Lok Sabha on 24 April, and Puducherry one.
On Sunday, at an election rally in Karur and Perambalur, Jayalalithaa criticised both the BJP and the Congress for not taking steps to release Cauvery water from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu.
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