The AIADMK said on Monday that the BJP’s decision to go it alone in the urban local bodies elections would not adversely affect its prospects.
D. Jayakumar, AIADMK’s organisation secretary, said that in the past too, the AIADMK had contested in the Assembly elections independently and pointed out how it had emerged victorious in 2016. He denied that the controversy over the remarks of BJP floor leader Nainar Nagenthran had anything to do with the development as the national party’s leaders had expressed regret.
“We have not been able to agree to their demand [for a 20% share in the wards of the urban local bodies] as we have to take care of the interests of our party workers,” the former Minister explained.
A source in the party hinted that the AIADMK’s unwillingness to accommodate the BJP’s demand for a higher share of wards in Coimbatore than in other local bodies might have contributed to the decision. But the AIADMK’s decision was based on the fact that Coimbatore had been its bastion. Another source recalled that in the October 2011 local bodies elections too, the AIADMK contested without the support of any established party and came out with flying colours. As regards the continuance of his party’s alliance with the BJP, Mr. Jayakumar replied that it was for the party leadership to decide. On the strategies to be adopted by the party during the campaign, he said the “accomplishments” of the previous AIADMK government and the “travails” of the present DMK government would be highlighted.
Meanwhile, the party released the second list of 1,841 nominees for municipal corporations and town panchayats. It covered the corporations of Avadi, Madurai, Tiruchi, Sivakasi and Thoothukudi. Later in the day, it issued one more list, containing the names of 799 candidates.
