AIADMK hits out at BJP chief for remarks against Jaya; corruption a major problem in TN, retorts Annamalai

Barely hours after the AIADMK district secretaries meeting, chaired by Palaniswami, passed a resolution condemning him for his remarks on Jayalalithaa, Annamalai said I wish to clarify to the people and to the brothers and sisters of TN BJP that corruption is the major problem in the state.

AIADMK top leader K Palaniswami on Tuesday slammed Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai for his alleged remarks against later party stalwart J Jayalalithaa, amid strain in ties between the two southern allies. As an irate AIADMK general secretary lashed out at Annamalai for the latter's ''irresponsible and immature'' remark, accusing him of casting aspersions on late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa with an ulterior motive, Annamalai retorted saying corruption is the major problem in Tamil Nadu politics.

Reacting strongly to the criticism of the AIADMK leader, Palaniswami said ''Annamalai's remark is irresponsible, lacking political experience and maturity. We strongly condemn it.'' Speaking to reporters here Palaniswami, who was a former CM, said the party's district secretaries passed a resolution against the BJP chief for ''tarnishing the reputation of revolutionary leader and Idhaya Deivam (goddess in the heart, as Jayalalithaa is fondly called by her followers) in a planned manner.'' This is the first time the AIADMK has condemned Annamalai in such harsh terms and even passed a resolution against him. Palaniswami chaired the meeting at the party office here.

Lashing out at the BJP chief for his comment on Monday, the resolution said the party cadres and public are agitated and aggrieved over the criticism. BJP senior leaders like A B Vajpayee, L K Advani, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi besides several national leaders and leaders from various states had regard and respect for Jayalalithaa, the resolution said.

''Many national leaders had conferred with her on several issues at her residence... it was because of her the BJP came to power at the Centre for the first time. She had extended the support of her party's MPs in 1998, to the BJP to form the government and strove for the BJP candidates' victory in the state,'' it said. ''It was former Chief Minister and currently the leader of the opposition K Palaniswami, who was responsible for ensuring BJP's entry into the state Assembly with four MLAs after 20 years,'' the resolution further said. On Monday former Minister D Jayakumar questioned Annamalai's intention to criticise the party leader despite being in the alliance, and said it will be forced to rethink its ties with the saffron party if Annamalai is not restrained. Barely hours after the AIADMK district secretaries meeting, chaired by Palaniswami, passed a resolution condemning him for his remarks on Jayalalithaa, Annamalai said ''I wish to clarify to the people and to the brothers and sisters of TN BJP that corruption is the major problem in the state. For many years, the welfare schemes meant for people were exploited by politicians and ultimately did not reach the beneficiaries. Instead of creating welfare schemes for the people, the schemes were designed with the intention of how only a few could benefit.'' Pointing to Tuesday's Enforcement Directorate (ED) search in the chamber of state Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji at the Secretariat here, Annamalai claimed this was not the first time the central intelligence agency had raided the Secretariat. ''It was raided in the past too. Corruption in Tamil Nadu politics has brought great disgrace to the state and this has not happened in any other state. I want to change this deep-rooted corrupt politics,'' he said in a hard-hitting statement. In his statement titled ''This is my political path,'' Annamalai said few former state ministers did not understand his comment on corruption and hence the clarification. ''Have the people at grassroot moved a bit higher in their status over the years? The answer is no. They (political parties) have been ruling the state with the idea that they can loot the people for the next five years if they offer freebies and bribe the voters during elections,'' he said. ''I hate this kind of politics. I entered politics inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is constantly working for the development of the poor and the needy. I want the people to prosper by making way for honest and people-oriented politics in the state,'' he said. Annamalai said his political journey would continue as the only desire is to ensure a corruption-free Tamil Nadu. The BJP leader said that he is aware of alliance dharma and no one needs to tell him about how the leaders of alliance parties should be treated. It would be inappropriate to expect the BJP to say everything the allies want, he said and added that what he had narrated was the real picture of state politics. He claimed that the people lost faith in politics due to ''corruption everywhere and in anything.'' However, those who have been waiting for long for clean politics and a change for good, now find hope in the Prime Minister's governance. They are beginning to realise that corruption-free governance is possible,'' he said and asserted that the people's hope will not go in vain.

The BJP's political journey will continue towards installing a corruption-free governance and people-oriented government, he said. BJP state vice president Karu Nagarajan claimed none from the AIADMK had the qualification to comment on his party president. ''It is strange that those who invoke Jayalalithaa's name in politics are attempting to slander our party president, find fault with him, criticise his functioning and isolate him from the BJP. This is condemnable,'' Nagarajan told reporters at Kamalalayam - BJP state headquarters - minutes after the news of the AIADMK's resolution spread.

Former Ministers D Jayakumar, Sellur Raju and C Ve Shanmugam don't have the qualification to comment on Annamalai, he said and added those jealous of Annamalai's growth were hurling insults. ''None should entertain the thought that they can say anything about the alliance party leader. This is wrong and condemnable. They should change their course,'' Nagarajan said. Contrary to his expectation, the AIADMK district secretaries meet passed a resolution against Annamalai instead of condemning the party's ''loose cannons.'' ''We were astonished. The resolution talks about the ties between the two parties. Our leaders including the Prime Minister have respect for Jayalalithaa,'' he said. Rival AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam flayed the BJP chief and said Annamalai's remarks on former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa showed his ''political immaturity.'' Meanwhile, Jayalalithaa's former close aide V K Sasikala dismissed the BJP state president's comment as one coming from a political novice and ''irresponsible.'' ''He lacks knowledge on Jayalalithaa's political journey and her service to the people,'' she said.