Why the AIADMK decided to part ways from the BJP-led NDA

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) declared on Monday that it was breaking its ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), signalling a dramatic change in Tamil Nadu politics.Both parties marked the collapse of the alliance by lighting off firecrackers outside their office.The AIADMK highlighted that BJP's "unnecessary remarks" about AIADMK's former leaders were the reason for breaking up with NDA.Let's take a closer look at what went wrong.AIADMK-BJP splitAccording to PTI, the AIADMK on Monday announced, "The state leadership of the BJP has been continuously making unnecessary remarks on our former leaders, our general secretary (EK Palaniswami) and our cadres for the past one year."The move came as a result of remarks made by BJP's state unit head K Annamalai criticising the Dravidian leader CN Annadurai. During a gathering in Madurai in 1956, Annamalai said that Annadurai had disrespected Hinduism, according to India Today.The rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was created by Annadurai, but the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam bears his name and has attempted to carry on his political and ideological traditions.In Coimbatore, Annamalai, who is currently on a padyatra (or foot march), claimed that he did not "speak incorrectly." On Thursday, he made an attempt to minimise the conflict by asserting that there was no issue between the allies.In the midst of the conflict, AIADMK leaders met with the BJP's national president JP Nadda and union minister Piyush Goyal in Delhi and demanded that Annamalai either apologise or be replaced with a "non-controversial leader," according to NDTV. The AIADMK eventually ended the coalition because both of these demands were not met.However, when asked about the latest development, Annamalai said, "Our national leadership will respond. They will be reacting to this. We will talk again soon."Following D Jayakumar's statement to the media that "we will decide on alliance before the election," the coalition was already on the verge of breaking up last week. "Annamalai is unfit to be BJP's state president. He speaks ill of late leaders only to project himself," NDTV quoted him as saying.It is pertinent to mention here that the alliance's dissolution coincided with the AIADMK's struggles with a Dravidian political landscape that was becoming more fragmented and the loss of minority votes in the previous two significant elections.The decision, nevertheless, appeared to be the result of long-standing disagreements between the two parties and the increased war of words between Annamalai and other leaders.Also read: Bengaluru bandh over Cauvery water-sharing: Why Karnataka, Tamil Nadu are fighting againThe major issueAnnamalai, according to AIADMK, had been acting contrary to the "alliance dharma."Senior party officials have often acknowledged that Annamalai was less "respectful" and "mature" in conducting the partnership than the prior BJP state presidents, particularly in admitting that the AIADMK is the organization's leader in Tamil Nadu.Many believed that Annamalai never wanted this alliance, especially after he announced to run unopposed in the local body elections. The BJP state unit chief believes the saffron party must fight its own battles in order to grow its significance in the southern state.The alliance became more strained when Annamalai's top aide and the head of the BJP's IT arm Nirmal Kumar joined the AIADMK in front of EPS in March of this year. Since then, a few BJP officials jumped ship.More importantly, the AIADMK was in a pickle because the southern state didn't react well to the BJP's Hindutva agenda. As a national party, the BJP has taken positions on important topics that are at odds with the views of the Tamil Nadu public and the AIADMK.According to the AIADMK, the BJP coalition also hurt the Dravidian party's standing with the state's minority communities.The BJP and Annamalai have allegedly tried to portray themselves as an aggressive Opposition party during the past few months, according to India Today sources in the AIADMK. The saffron party was thought to have been more vocal than AIADMK in its criticism of the DMK on a number of important issues.War of wordsWhen it comes to highly charged political matters in Tamil Nadu, the alliance with the ruling party at the centre BJP frequently puts the AIADMK in tough spots.Earlier, Annamalai declined to support the AIADMK's demands that the NDA's Chief Ministerial face in Tamil Nadu for the upcoming elections be projected as EPS. He asserted that he had no authority to make an announcement and that the national leadership alone would be responsible for doing so.When Annamalai released the "DMK files" in July, revealing the alleged corruption of prominent DMK leaders, he warned that he would expose the corruption of all parties in Tamil Nadu, including the AIADMK, which of course, was not well-received by the party.This was especially in reference to the late AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa. Annamalai said in a media interview in June of this year that the state's former CM had been found guilty of corruption.Leaders of the AIADMK took this as an insult and passed a resolution denouncing Annamalai for lacking political maturity and experience. Annamalai's recent comments on CN Annadurai just added fuel to the ongoing disagreements.Also read: Sanatana Dharma: 'Stalin remark is drama to cover up its failures by diverting people’s attention', says AIADMKInterference in internal party affairsThe AIADMK claims that Annamalai tried to meddle in party business during the Erode East by-elections by meeting with both the Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) and O Panneerselvam (OPS) factions and that the BJP wants the AIADMK to present a united front.Although AIADMK is the largest Opposition party, its leaders believe Annamalai was attempting to defend himself in his role as the state's chief Opposition figure, as per India Today.Big jolt to BJPThe BJP has been taken aback by the move, as the national party was counting on the strength of the AIADMK in the southern state, where, in contrast to other states, the saffron party has not yet been able to establish its mark.According to BJP leaders, their plan was to run for the Lok Sabha together in 2024 while also strengthening their organisation so they could run independently in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections in 2026, as per Hindustan Times.“In the state, obviously the AIADMK is the larger party and EPS is the strongest leader of the party. This decision will only favour the DMK. We will have to see what the central leadership decides,” said the outlet quoting a senior state BJP leader.The BJP had also been trying to entice the three individuals who had been kicked out of the NDA by EPS, Panneerselvam, TTV Dhinakaran, and V K Sasikala.Soon after J. Jayalalithaa's demise in office in December 2016, the BJP made its way into the state by bringing together the AIADMK's feuding factions.Since then, the alliance has suffered from far too many tensions.Also read: 'DMK means Dengue Malaria Kosu (mosquito)': TN BJP chief K Annamalai hits out at Udhayanidhi for Sanatan Dharma remarkWhat’s nextA separate front for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections would be spearheaded by the AIADMK, which is headed by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.According to ANI, AIADMK Deputy General Secretary KP Munusamy said, "The AIADMK will fight the 2024 election with its allies."BJP and AIADMK worked together as allies during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2021 Assembly elections.With inputs from agencies