TN BJP chief Nainar declines to commit on bringing Panneerselvam, Dhinakaran back to NDA fold

Salem (Tamil Nadu), Sep 21 (PTI) Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagenthran called on AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami here on Sunday and declined to commit on the scope for bringing back former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and the AMMK into the NDA fold.

The TN BJP president described the meeting with the AIADMK chief as a "courtesy visit," and ruled out discussing politics with him.

Speaking to reporters, Nagenthran, asked about PMK's founder leader S Ramadoss's camp reportedly seeking an appointment with Union Home Minister Amit Shah amid allegations of BJP interfering in the intra-party issues of political parties, he said: "The BJP will not interfere in the internal matters of any political party." When asked about the scope for taking inside the NDA fold former chief minister Panneerselvam and the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam led by TTV Dhinakaran, the BJP leader said, "you should only ask them as it was them who have quit the alliance." Recently, Panneerselvam and AMMK have snapped ties with the NDA.

On Palaniswami's recent meeting with Amit Shah and related matters, he said political matters were not discussed and reiterated that it was a "courtesy visit." Earlier, Nagenthran took part in a marathon event at Omalur here to celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday.

To a question on TVK chief Vijay's repeated claims that the fight in the next year's Assembly election would be only between the TVK and the ruling DMK, Nagenthran said Vijay has floated a party "only now." Based on the turnout witnessed in rallies addressed by him, Vijay should not conclude that the contest will be between the TVK and the DMK. Outlining the electoral process, including fielding candidates, Nagenthran said that only following the conclusion of polls, a comment could be made on the nature of contest. "Astrological predictions should not be made," he said.

Meanwhile, an official AIADMK statement said the BJP delegation led by Nagenthran made a courtesy visit. Besides Nagenthran, national secretary and BJP's Tamil Nadu in-charge, Arvind Menon, TN BJP vice-president KP Ramalingam, TN BJP state secretary Vinoj P Selvam and BJP national council member Challenger Durai called on Palaniswami at his Nedunchalai Nagar residence here. PTI VGN VGN KH