BJP's misappropriation of MGR in 'Vetrivel Yatra' in TN irks AIADMK amid suspected rift

BJP's Tamil Nadu unit seems to have hit a roadblock in their campaign for the 2021 Assembly elections after alliance partners AIADMK pulled up the Saffron Party for the alleged appropriation of MG Ramachandran's legacy (MGR) in some of their promotional videos.

Following the stunt, the Tamil Nadu BJP unit faced severe backlash from the ruling AIADMK party for showing visuals of the party's founder and most influential leader MGR in promotional materials for the Vetrivel Yatra. 

In a 3:24 minute-long promotional video posted by the BJP Dharmapuri on YouTube, visuals of MGR can be seen. The late actor/politician photo emerges and then transitions into PM Modi's (at 1:23) as the song in the background stresses on the need for people of different colours to unite. In another video, the TN BJP President is seen walking in a farm alongside older footage of MGR doing the same. 

TN BJP leaders persist with Yatra despite L Murugan's arrest

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Despite the BJP assuring the AIADMK that it was only to pay tribute to the legendary figure and meant only as a way to honour the late AIADMK leader in their videos, the ruling party appears to be miffed with its alliance partner and it has gone on to express displeasure, stating that the ideologies of both the parties were completely different, as per reports.  

This incident comes amid the already existing tension between the AIADMK and the BJP, as the latter was denied permission by the state government to take out the Vetrivel Yatra. Though the BJP had planned a month-long (Nov 6-Dec 6), state-wide 'Vel' or 'Vetrivel yatra', the state government banned it, citing the coronavirus pandemic. The TN BJP President has been stopped short of taking the yatra on multiple occasions by the police while the Opposition in the state pressurised the state government to not give permission to undertake the yatra. 

READ | BJP Cadres Attempt To Go On 'Vetri Vel' Yatra Again, Detained

BJP cadres led by state president L Murugan on Monday again attempted to go on a 'Vetri vel yatra' from nearby Chengelpet, but were detained by police and released later. When the saffron party workers, led by Murugan, tried to take out the state-wide yatra, they were detained at a hall in the suburban locality and released in the evening. Murugan expressed confidence that his party would grow in strength to the point of determining the next government in Tamil Nadu.

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This was the BJP's third attempt to go on a yatra to 'expose the DMK' for backing atheist group 'Karuppar Kootam' which denigrated Kanda Sashti Kavacham in praise of Lord Muruga. On November 6, Murugan tried to begin the yatra from Tiruttani, but was not allowed to do so. He attempted to start it from Tiruvottiyur here on Sunday but was arrested and left off later.

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Tamil Nadu BJP faces backlash from alliance partner AIADMK for showing MGR as theirs