The DMK leader’s statement on no-confidence motion shows his indecisiveness, says Tamilisai

The State unit of the BJP seems to be throwing its weight behind the merger move in the ruling AIADMK if the statements of its leaders are anything to go by. On Saturday, the party’s State unit president, Tamilisai Soundararajan, flayed DMK working president M.K. Stalin for his reported statement that his party may consider bringing a no-confidence motion against the Edappadi K. Palaniswami government.

“I believe that when good schemes are being implemented as a result of the efforts of the Central and State governments, there is no need for such issues [to be raised],” she said responding to queries on the DMK’s plan for a second no-confidence motion.

Ms. Soundararajan also denied reports that the BJP was putting pressure on the two factions of the AIADMK to come together and was behind the freezing of the Two Leaves symbol. “If we had any influence on the working of the Election Commission of India, would the results of the Gujarat Rajya Sabha election have been such? We believe in being straightforward. If the two factions merge, they will be allotted the symbol. That is why there are healthy moves towards that these days,” she said.

She also criticised Mr. Stalin for the apparent indecisiveness in his comments. “The roundabout way in which Mr. Stalin has talked of another trust vote goes to show how much trust he has in its success...People are wondering whether another trust vote will succeed or whether he will again walk out, his shirt torn,” she said.

Pat for Ministers

In Tiruchi, Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Pon. Radhakrishnan echoed Ms. Soundararajan’s views. On the feud within the AIADMK, he said difference of opinion was quite common within political parties. However, the BJP was of the view that the AIADMK should function as a unified party, he said.

Mr. Radhakrishnan also said that a few members of the State cabinet including K.A. Sengottaiyan have started performing well.

On the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET issue), Mr. Radhakrishnan said the State government had asked the Centre to exempt Tamil Nadu for a year in order to provide an opportunity to rural students. “The Central government understands the expectations of people,” he said.

(With inputs from Jaishankar in Tiruchi)