Alliance with BJP cost us minority votes: Former AIADMK minister C Ve Shanmugam
Cracks seem to be widening in AIADMK and BJP in Tamil Nadu post poll debacle as the larger alliance is shifting the blame of loss on BJP. Ex AIADMk minister C Ve Shanmugam says the party lost all minority votes because the party joined hands with BJP.
FollowAfter a humiliating loss in the recently concluded Assembly election, the AIADMK leader is now holding its alliance partner BJP responsible for loss of votes, especially those belonging to minority communities.
The statement comes from former AIADMk minister C Ve Shanmugam on late Tuesday.
As per reports, the minister said that had the Dravidian party not forged an alliance with BJP it would have fared well and also secured its minority votes.
The minister referring to Villupuram assembly where minority community votes can play a big role, said about 20,000 votes were lost due to this (BJP) factor.
The result in May handed over a humble defeat to AIADMK which was hoping for a hat trick term. The party secured only 66 seats out of 234 while DMK got 133.
AIADMK was denied a third consecutive term after DMK swept Tamil Nadu polls winning 133 of 234 seats, while the AIADMK won 66 seats.
"If we had not allied with BJP, rather because we were in alliance with BJP, we lost out the votes of the minorities. In Villupuram, there are 20,000 minority voters - 18,000 voters are in Villupuram town alone. We lost on minority votes because of our alliance with BJP. If the alliance was not there DMK would not be in power," C Ve Shanmugam was quoted as per reports.
His comments gain significance as recently expelled leader VK Sasikala has promised to return to resurrect the party and ensure the 'Golden Rule' as dreams by J Jayalalithaa.
