Published 19:45 IST, December 3rd 2020
Karti Chidambaram predicts alliance between Rajinikanth, OPS & BJP: 'plan to split AIADMK'
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram has predicted that will align with Tamil Nadu Dy CM O Panneerselvam and the BJP, leaving CM E Palaniswami in a 'limbo'
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Congress MP Karti Chidambaram has predicted that Kollywood superstar Rajinikanth, who confirmed his entry into politics with a new party on Thursday, will align with Tamil Nadu Deputy CM O Panneerselvam (OPS) and the BJP. The Congress leader has remarked that there is a 'plan' to cause a rift within the AIADMK, leaving CM E Palaniwami (EPS) in 'limbo'. He also raised question over AMMK - AIADMK's breakaway faction - and whether it would align with CM EPS.
Won’t be surprised if @rajinikanth aligns with @OfficeOfOPS & @BJP4India. Perhaps plan is to block the Two Leaves symbol of @AIADMKOfficial by engineering a split, leaving @CMOTamilNadu in limbo. Will have to watch to see if @TTVDhinakaran aligns with EPS.
— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) December 3, 2020
The Congress leader's 'prediction' comes with the 2017 power tussle within the ruling AIADMK in the backdrop when EPS was named as the CM by VK Sasikala. The power tussle had witnessed the expulsion of former CM O Pannerselvam and his supporters from the party only to be brought back by Palaniswami in August 2017. OPS was then named as the Deputy CM to strengthen the party.
Currently, the AIADMK and the BJP have an alliance, which OPS recently confirmed will continue for the 2021 Assembly polls as well. The party also confirmed that E Palaniswami will remain the chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming elections.
Rajinikanth confirms launch of his political party
Earlier in the day, Rajinikanth announced on Twitter that he would make a formal announcement of his political party on December 31 followed by the party's launch in January 2021. He wrote, "In the forthcoming Assembly elections, with the support of the people, it is certain that honest, monetary, transparent, non-corrupt, secular and secular spiritual politics will emerge in Tamil Nadu". Earlier this week, he interacted with the senior office-bearers of the Rajini Makkal Mandram to decide on his entry into electoral politics.
The AIADMK has already extended an invitation to Rajinikanth to form an alliance with Tamil Nadu deputy CM remarking that 'anything could happen in politics.' Wishing Rajinikanth good luck, the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O. Panneerselvam stated that if there were chances, the AIADMK would enter into an alliance with the superstar ahead of the 2021 Tamil Nadu elections. "I wish Rajinikanth's political entry good luck. In politics anything can happen, if there are chances there will be an alliance (with Rajinikanth)," said Dy CM OPS.
BJP's Khushbu Sundar also remarked that party is ready to welcome the Tamil superstar with open arms. Dismissing Rajinikanth as a 'gamechanger' in the upcoming elections, Khushboo Sundar pointed out that it was the mindset of the people was different at the time of voting. Responding to a query on if the BJP will extend its support to Rajinikanth's new party, the BJP leader said it was the state unit and the central leadership's decision to make.
19:45 IST, December 3rd 2020