Chennai: BJP Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai’s claim that “Eknath Shinde will emerge in the state” was vehemently rejected by the ruling party. Annamalai drew an analogy between the political situation in the two states, and said that the late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s eldest son, Bindumadhav’s venture into films resembles that of Mu Ka Muthu, the first son of former TN CM M Karunanidhi, “both Wanted to act. In films but the films didn’t do well.”
Similarly, Thackeray’s second son Jaydev is away from the family and so is Karunanidhi’s second son MK Alagiri, PTI quoted him as saying. He further said that Uddhav Thackeray, the third son of Bal Thackeray, got a chance to become the CM of Maharashtra and that’s how MK Stalin became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
Addressing a BJP protest rally in Chennai on Tuesday, Annamalai said that Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aaditya has political ambitions and MK Stalin’s son Udayanidhi too, adding, “Both are youth wing leaders of their respective parties. Tamil Nadu is gearing up for a cabinet reshuffle. A Nath Shinde will emerge here too.”
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The BJP president reportedly referred to the recent revolt of the Shiv Sena leader against Uddhav Thackeray, which led to the change of guard in Maharashtra. He further said that two-and-a-half years ago, three parties had joined hands in Maharashtra, just as the DMK had forged an alliance with the Congress and the Left here.
“Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress joined hands in Maharashtra and BJP which had 105 MLAs was pushed back and Shiv Sena formed the government with 57 MLAs,” PTI quoted him as saying at the huge gathering. He further said, “Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh tortured BJP supporters as much as he could. Then Eknath Shinde came with 12 MLAs. He went to Surat. This is Rajdharma. When it has to happen, it will happen. It happened in Maharashtra and You will see this happening in Tamil Nadu as well.”
DMK rubbishes Annamalai’s comments
Senior DMK leader and party’s organizing secretary RS Bharathi, however, termed Annamalai’s remarks as “insignificant” and said “the party is not taking him seriously”. Throwing light on the saffron party leader’s comments, the DMK leader said that no rebellion was possible in the party ranks.
“He (Annamalai) has been doing nonsense for some time now. As far as I am concerned, I am not taking him seriously,” former MP Bharti told PTI on Wednesday.
Asked to comment on Annamalai’s statement on the emergence of Eknath Shinde in Tamil Nadu, another senior DMK leader and a sitting MLA told PTI, “There is no possibility of it happening”. And the DMK president is comfortable with Stalin’s “dynamic leadership”.
(with PTI inputs)