In a significant announcement, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi declared on Saturday that his party would throw its support behind the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections and state Assembly polls.
Owaisi emphasized that the AIADMK’s commitment to opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR), and National Register of Citizens (NRC) played a pivotal role in AIMIM’s decision to support the party.
“AIADMK has rejected any alliance with the BJP and has pledged to continue opposing the CAA, NPR & NRC. Hence, AIMIM extends its support to AIADMK in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” stated Owaisi. He further affirmed, “Our alliance will also persist for the Assembly elections.”
The relationship between AIADMK and BJP has been strained, particularly following alleged derogatory remarks made by BJP’s Tamil Nadu state president K Annamalai regarding C N Annadurai, a revered figure in the Dravidian movement and a key influence behind the AIADMK’s foundation. The AIADMK accused the BJP leadership in the state of continual disrespect over the past year.
Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, AIADMK and BJP formed an alliance, with AIADMK leading the NDA coalition in Tamil Nadu. However, the alliance dynamics shifted when the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) left the NDA before the 2021 assembly elections due to dissatisfaction with seat allocation.
AIMIM’s support for AIADMK underscores the party’s strategic alignment with regional players while maintaining a firm stance against contentious national policies, reflecting the complex political landscape in Tamil Nadu.
