BJP claims DMK wants post-poll tie-up, Stalin rubbishes it as a lie

If Tamilisai or Modi... [can] prove that I am talking to them for an alliance with the BJP, I’m prepared to quit politics. MK STALIN, DMK president

CHENNAI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Tamilisai Soundararajan on Tuesday alleged that the Opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was in talks with the BJP for a possible post-poll tie-up.

Debunking Soundararajan’s claim as a “motivated, preposterous (and) unadulterated lie,” DMK chief Stalin said that he would quit politics if the allegations made by her were proven. The DMK and the Congress fought the elections in Tamil Nadu as an alliance, while the BJP is in alliance with ruling party All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Stalin, who had met Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (referred to as KCR) a day before, told reporters that he saw no chance for a nonbjp, non-congress third front government take shape after the Lok Sabha results are declared on May 23.

KCR, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi supremo has articulated his wish to create a non-congress, non-bjp federal front of regional parties. At the same time, the lines of communication between the Congress and TRS have been open, and leaders said the DMK has been a go-between, as reported by HT.

“If Tamilisai Soundararajan or Narendra Modi...[can] prove that I am talking to them for an alliance with the BJP, I’m prepared to quit politics. If they fail to prove it, will they renounce politics?” Stalin said in a statement on Tuesday.

“I was the first to endorse Congress president Rahul Gandhi for Prime Ministership and rip apart Modi as a ‘fascist, sadist and autocrat’ throughout the poll campaign to prevent by all means his return to power,” the DMK chief recalled.

Stalin said that Soundararjan made the comment in order to prevent minorities from voting for the DMK in the May 19 by-elections for four Assembly constituencies.

Earlier in the day, Soundararajan told reporters in Thoothukudi, “The hunger and thirst for office is driving Stalin to reach out to Modi. First, it was Rahul, then KCR [Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao] and now it is Modi. Everyone knows the DMK changes colours...they are speaking through someone and are establishing connection.”

“It is true,” she said when asked whether the DMK was in touch with the BJP for a post-poll tie-up.

“Emergence of any number of fronts would only benefit the BJP,” she said regarding the Stalin-kcr meeting.

Soundararajan contested from Thoothukudi against DMK’S Kanimozhi in Phase 2 of the ongoing general elections.

“There is not even an iota of truth in Tamilisai’s unfounded claim. The DMK is firmly with the Congress. This betrays the saffron party’s mortal fear of facing the prospect of a rout in the LS poll,” KS Alagiri, president of Tamil Nadu Congress said. Meanwhile, TRS spokesman Abid Rasool Khan told IANS that they were confident that a federal front will form the government after results are announced on May 23.

“We are confident that we will get the numbers to form the government, but if we are short of numbers and Congress wants to extend outside support we will consider,” said Khan.