News Tamil Nadu

AIADMK Leader Edappadi Palaniswami Signals Potential Alliance With SDPI, To Participate In “Secularism Protection Conference”

December 26, 2023
The Commune

In a strategic shift, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Edappadi Palaniswami, after breaking ties with the BJP, is actively engaging with minority communities to forge alliances ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections. Palaniswami’s approach echoes the political tactics employed by the late J. Jayalalithaa during the 2014 elections when the AIADMK contested solo and secured significant victories in Tamil Nadu.

Palaniswami, who has categorically ruled out an alliance with the BJP, has been participating in minority functions and meetings, signalling a departure from the party’s previous affiliations.

Earlier, he had called for the release of 1998 Coimbatore bomb blast terror convict SA Basha on “humanitarian grounds”.

His recent participation in a Christian organization’s conference in Coimbatore on 28 November 2023 emphasised the AIADMK’s historical “commitment” to minority rights and listed the concessions made to these communities.

The move seems to be gaining traction, as leaders from minority parties have approached Palaniswami for collaboration. Thamimun Ansari, General Secretary of the Manithaneya Jananayaka Katchi (Humanist Democratic Party), and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) have expressed interest in aligning with the AIADMK. Palaniswami has been directly invited by SDPI’s state president, Nellai Mubarak, to participate in the Secularism Protection Conference scheduled for 7 January 2024 in Madurai.

While the DMK has allied with minority parties like the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, Indian Union Muslim League, and Christian Goodwill Movement, Palaniswami seems to be aiming to pull a few minority parties under the AIADMK banner by sending a message of assurance that for minority communities, the AIADMK remains a safe and inclusive choice.

Political observers note that while Palaniswami is making inroads with minority leaders, there is scepticism among minority communities regarding his trustworthiness. AIADMK Advocates Wing Joint Secretary Babu Murugavelu asserts that severing ties with the BJP was a crucial step in attracting minority support. He claims that the AIADMK, under Palaniswami’s leadership, is committed to the welfare of minority communities in the state and will implement policies beneficial to them.

As the political landscape evolves in Tamil Nadu, Palaniswami’s attempts to forge alliances with minority parties indicate a strategic move to capture crucial constituencies in the upcoming elections. Whether this outreach will translate into electoral support remains to be seen.

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