AIADMK walks out of the BJP-led NDA alliance; to fight general elections alone

Chennai: The AIADMK on Monday announced walking out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and said it would lead a separate front for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The decision to break away from the NDA was taken at a high level meeting chaired by party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami at the AIADMK headquarters here.

Briefing reporters on the deliberations, former Minister and senior leader K P Munusamy said the party has unanimously resolved to part ways with the NDA and steer a combine of like-minded parties in the next year's polls.

The resolution, without naming anyone, said the BJP's state leadership has been of late defaming Dravidian stalwart, the late CN Annadurai and late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, besides criticising its policies.

It was obvious the Dravidian party was miffed with BJP state president K Annamalai, whose comments about Annadurai had created a rift between the two erstwhile allies.

Top party office-bearers, district secretaries and MLAs and MPs took part in the AIADMK meet.

Amid bursting of crackers at the party headquarters here, Munsamy said the unanimous decision honours the sentiments and aspirations of over two crore party workers.