BJP looks for bigger NDA coalition in Tamil Nadu elections in 2016,NDA coalition,Tamil Nadu elections,Tamil nadu Assembly election 2016, Tamil nadu Assembly election , DMK ,AIADMK,BJP, Modi government, RSS

BJP looks for bigger NDA coalition in Tamil Nadu elections in 2016,NDA coalition,Tamil Nadu elections,Tamil nadu Assembly election 2016, Tamil nadu Assembly election , DMK ,AIADMK,BJP, Modi government, RSS

CHENNAI: Ahead of the 2016 assembly elections, BJP is in the process of stitching together a much enlarged rainbow NDA coalition in Tamil Nadu with a stronger social base and political appeal, backed by the Modi government's ability to deliver on development promises to them. 

This would be a "soft nationalistic parivar, not just the RSS family" in the state bringing together diverse caste groups whose aspirations for social elevation and economic growth have not been satisfied by the DMK and AIADMK governments over the years, party general secretary in-charge of the state, Murlidhar Rao told TOI on Monday. 

He said considerable homework had been done with regard to the formation of a new social coalition in Tamil Nadu. "BJP will work like a binding force to bring the Dalits and Thevars together on a common development ground," he said citing an example of how various hitherto antagonistic social groups could be woven into a common thread. "We will have consolidated the support of different social groups in two to three months," he said. 

The old NDA combine in TN for the Lok Sabha polls last year, comprised the PMK, DMDK, MDMK and IJK. The Vaiiko-led MDMK quit the alliance after the general elections following differences with the BJP government at the Centre over the invitation extended to the then Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa for Modi's swearing in and the PM's handling of the Lankan Tamils issue. 

He said no political party had hitherto taken care of the interests of small social groups on a pan-Tamil Nadu basis, even as there was a serious erosion of traditional vote banks of Dravidian majors. "With failure of political ideologies of the DMK and AIADMK and bad governance, an alternative social mobilization has become more intense in TN to align with smaller caste groups," he said. The traditional vote banks of the DMK and AIADMK have been getting diluted over the past 15 years, he reckons. 

Murlidhar Rao contended that DMK and AIADMK were no longer credible agents of change to satisfy the aspirations of various social groups. He said BJP is in a better position as it openly recognizes castes unlike many other parties which carry ideological baggage and posture in public about the need for caste eradication. Murlidhar Rao said he would be leading the interactions with Thevars near Madurai and Yadavs in Tirunelveli on Tuesday as part of this exercise aimed at expanding the base of the traditional RSS parivar. BJP is already negotiating with the Devendrakula Vellalars, a prominent Dalit sub-sect. "These will not be one-time interactions but a simultaneous dialogue with various castes and communities," he said.

SRC:TOI

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