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CHENNAI: After the AIADMK government made its intention clear against its ally BJP carrying out ‘Vetrivel Yatra’ and listed out violations to the Madras high court to justify its decision to deny permission, members of the BJP state unit have sharpened their attack against chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his cabinet colleagues.
BJP state general secretary K T Raghavan lashed out at AIADMK and raised queries as to what action had been taken by authorities when large number of AIADMK cadres turned out for Palaniswami’s visits to various districts and at the functions organised by state ministers and party functionaries during the pandemic. He said if cases had to be registered against those who were attracting crowds, the first case should have been registered against Palaniswami himself, for violation of Covid-19 norms, especially during the CM’s recent visit to Tirupathi. State police owed an explanation, he said.
He also sought to know whether the ruling party and the principal opposition, DMK, had a secret pact to deny any leeway to BJP to grow in the state. It is quite unusual of Raghavan to hit out in such strong terms as he is known as a moderate voice in the national party.
A member of the party core committee said the state would see “more fireworks” during the ‘Vetrivel Yatra’ in the days to come. BJP state president L Murugan has paused the yatra for now owing to Deewali. He is likely to resume it on November 17. Posting Raghavan’s views on its official twitter handle, BJP wondered, “Why this illegitimate relationship (between the two Dravidian majors)?”
