Palaniswami says his party’s alliance is only for electoral success

The AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Thursday clarified that the party’s alliance with other parties during polls was meant for achieving electoral success only. 

“This is how every party operates.  It is on this basis that the AIADMK too has arrived at an electoral understanding.” Mr. Palaniswami told a function organised by his party to mark the Christmas celebration in Kilpauk here. His observations assumed relevance in the context of the party aligning itself with the BJP for the next year’s Assembly poll. 

Emphasising that his organisation was “a movement, transcending the barriers of religion and caste” and committed to secularism, he assured the gathering that his party would not waver in its policies, as laid down by former Chief Ministers M.G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa, for the protection of interests and Constitutional rights of religious minorities. “Regardless of challenges, we will stand by our policies,” Mr. Palaniswami observed.  

Recalling how his party’s traditional adversary, the DMK, had fought the elections together with the national party (BJP) in the past, he accused the ruling party of having indulged in providing “empty promises” to the minorities.