Karnataka head of AIADMK raises concerns over the BJP coalition and resigns

S D Kumar, the secretary of the AIADMK’s Karnataka branch, reportedly threatened to leave the party on Wednesday because general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami had not said whether the party would support the NDA or INDIA. Kumar was refused the opportunity to run for the Lok Sabha elections.

Having been a member of the AIADMK for more than 40 years, Kumar told reporters on Wednesday that he had held a number of positions inside the organization.

The AIADMK granted Anbarasan a ticket to run in the Karnataka assembly election from Pulakeshi Nagar last year. Nevertheless, because we were supporting the BJP, the nomination was withdrawn. I went to the interviews for the selection of candidates since many Tamil groups and organizations encouraged us to run from Bengaluru Central in this election, but Palaniswami advised me not to.

“Palaniswami promised to let us know later to whom we should offer our support,” he said, “but as of this Wednesday, we have not received any word.” The Karnataka state elections were won three times by the AIADMK. Denying AIADMK cadres seats and being silent about the party’s assistance might raise questions about whether the AIADMK is assisting the BJP covertly. In Bengaluru Central, a BJP cadre has been elected three times in a row and is running for office a fourth time. If IADMK joined the fight, it would also have a chance to prevail.