BJP in talks with parties to form coalition in Tamil Nadu for general elections

The BJP is having discussions with friendly parties and it will definitely have a tie-up in Tamil Nadu for the coming Lok Sabha polls, the party's general secretary P Muralidhar Rao said Tuesday. "We are having discussions with friendly parties. Definitely, BJP will have an alliance and the alliance in Tamil Nadu will be for good governance and positive development," he said. There is progress in the discussions, he said.

Asked if AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai attacking the Centre over demonetisation and implementation of Goods and Services Tax in Parliament would scuttle the chances of a possible alliance with that party, he said: "AIADMK has not issued such kind of statement.." BJP does not have any problem as far as engagement with regard to the electoral alliance in Tamil Nadu with any parties is concerned, Rao said. The party would elaborate soon about alliance talks, he said.

Asked about criticism by Thambidurai, he claimed the public response to BJP in Tamil Nadu was good and cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tirupur on Sunday in this context. The Prime Minister's visit was a resounding success and it showed he connect with the people is increasing, Rao said.

When repeatedly asked about Thambidurai, he said: "I am not talking about any individual..." Participating in the discussion on an interim budget in Lok Sabha on Monday, Thambidurai had said the Centre was yet to release more than Rs 10,000 crore in arrears to Tamil Nadu. He had also said the central government failed to address the unemployment problem.

Rao said he was here to collect ideas from various sectors for the BJP's vision document for the 2019 elections, as part of the party's 'Mann Ki Baat, Modi ke Saath.' The party has decided to contact at least 10 crore people from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat and all leaders including Amit Shah and cabinet ministers, will participate in the campaign, he said.

(With inputs from agencies.)