Chennai, Aug 12 (IANS) AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Tuesday urged the BJP’s central leadership to open talks with O. Panneerselvam, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and chief coordinator of the AIADMK Cadres’ Rights Retrieval Committee, to bring him back into the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Dhinakaran said there had been no outreach from the BJP so far, but expressed strong confidence that the former Chief Minister would return to the alliance.

“We often speak. When we spoke yesterday morning, he told me that a section of the media had carried incorrect news claiming he refused to meet B.L. Santosh,” Dhinakaran told reporters, dismissing speculation about a meeting between Panneerselvam and the BJP’s national general secretary during his recent Chennai visit.

“To my knowledge, no BJP leaders have contacted him yet,” he said.

“I hope the party’s leadership in Delhi will take the initiative to bring him back to our alliance. I am very confident he will reunite with the NDA.”

Panneerselvam had announced his exit from the NDA on July 31, reportedly after receiving a lukewarm reception from the saffron party.

The AMMK had joined the NDA ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections in an attempt to challenge the DMK, but the alliance failed to make an electoral impact.

Dhinakaran claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was taking steps to forge a stronger NDA in Tamil Nadu and expressed hope of a positive outcome by December.

“The people will respond to this in May 2026,” he added, reacting to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s recent remark that the AIADMK’s defeat in the next polls would begin in the western belt.

Responding to VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan’s controversial statement that late AIADMK icons M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa had paved the way for the entry of Brahminism into the Dravidian movement, Dhinakaran said the comment reflected “a state of confusion.”

He noted that Thirumavalavan had later attempted to explain that his remarks were misunderstood.

Cautioning the VCK chief, Dhinakaran said: “Such statements about charismatic leaders who rose above caste and religion are inappropriate. Continuing to make them could have undesirable consequences in future elections.”

–IANS

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