BJP now says AIADMK will pick its Chief Ministerial candidate

In Tamil Nadu state,AIADMK is the major partner. They will decide who their nextChief Ministerial candidate is.

The BJP on Mondaysaid its 'major' partner in Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK woulddecide its Chief Ministerial candidate for the Assemblyelections, due during April-May 2021.

After maintaining that the National Democratic Allianceleadership would announce the Chief Ministerial candidate,following poll notification, the Saffron party appeared tohave made a climbdown.

''They are the major partners. In Tamil Nadu state,AIADMK is the major partner. They will decide who their nextChief Ministerial candidate is. They will decide,'' BJPnational general secretary and in-charge of Tamil NaduC T Ravi said here.

Though the BJP had maintained that the CM candidate,would be from the largest constituent (AIADMK), it had said aformal decision and its announcement shall be made by the NDACoordination Committee.

The Tamil Nadu unit chief of the BJP, L Murugan had allalong said an announcement on CM candidate would be made bythe party top leadership and did not come forward toexplicitly endorse the candidture of incumbent Chief Ministerand AIADMK CM nominee, K Palaniswami.

During the intervening period, when the BJP stuck toits stand, the AIADMK twice (on December 27 at its first pollrally and at its general council meet on January 9) made itclear that Palaniswami was the CM candidate.

At its poll rally, the AIADMK said its partners had toaccept its choice of CM candidate so as to be part of thealliance led by it in Tamil Nadu.

Senior ruling party leader K P Munusamy also had spokenrepeatedly that national parties had no sway in statepolitics.