Tapping 5 states in south key to BJP’S plan

and even break local parties.

“The situation is fluid in Tamil Nadu. Although the internal crisis in AIADMK has left the party in a disarray, the DMK is not in a position to take advantage of it. Because, unlike in the past, when people in the state tolerated corruption under J Jayalalithaa or M Karunanidhi, today’s population is in no mood to see the corrupt in power. They want to get rid of them. M K Stalin is not even making an attempt to stand against corruption,” said P Muralidhar Rao, BJP General Secretary in charge of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The BJP’S reasoning is that as the Congress is unlikely to emerge strong anytime soon, the BJP could become the alternative, by default, if not by design. But that’s easier said than done. For the time being, though, the party leadership doesn’t want to rock any boat ahead of the Presidential elections in which the NDA requires support of an undivided AIADMK.

BJP leaders believe that roping in a popular film star into the party structure in the state — where cine artists have made it big in electoral politics — will help script its success. The BJP’S plan to get Rajnikanth hasn’t quite been a success. The superstar’s meeting with BJP candidate in R K Nagar bypolls Gangai Amaran refreshed such speculation — but sources said the party had other popular stars like Vishal and Vijay also in mind. “A popular star at the leadership position can change the situation dramatically. Getting one of them at the helm of affairs is one of our plans,” said a party leader familiar with the state unit.

In neighbouring Kerala, the BJP’S calculation is that the fall of the Congress at the national level will hasten its decline in the state. And the fight within the ruling CPI(M)-LED LDF will also help. “The minority or the demography no longer remain a challenge to the BJP in its electoral performance,”