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Judging from the recent decisions taken by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, it is becoming increasingly evident that she is moving closer to the Bharatiya Janata Party -- at least ideologically. But both the BJP and Jayalalithaa's All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have denied any closeness. On the other hand, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, once the BJP's ally in Tamil Nadu, has severed ties with the party in the state.
Recently in Erode, state BJP chief, L Ganesan surprised everyone by commenting that the two parties were indeed coming closer while the DMK was moving away. But in a conversation with Shobha Warrier at the BJP party office in Chennai, Ganesan denied having said that in so many words.
The BJP, he said, only supported certain decisions taken by the AIADMK government like the anti-conversion bill, and also appreciated Jayalalithaa's statement on Godhra. But there was nothing beyond that. Excerpts:
Is the BJP moving closer to the AIADMK and DMK moving away from the BJP?
The BJP stands where it was. Some of the statements and actions of the AIADMK are nearer to our ideology. Some of the issues which have been in the BJP agenda for a long time are now being implemented by the present chief minister. We welcome it. Whenever the state government does something good, we appreciate and welcome it. We also oppose the issues that are not to our liking.
Our support to the state government is issue based. The support of the AIADMK to the central government also is issue based. This actually gives an impression that both the parties are coming nearer. But as of today, we have not thought of any alliance.
But recently in Erode, you said that the AIADMK was getting closer to the BJP?
What I said was, by implementing certain issues that are very much in our agenda, it appeared the AIADMK was coming closer to the BJP, and not the BJP moving closer to the AIADMK.
At the same time, by unilaterally passing a resolution in the DMK council meeting, the DMK distanced itself from the Tamil Nadu BJP. This is exactly what I said in Erode.
Why did you decide to make such a statement?
[BJP President] Venkaiah Naidu also correctly told the press that the statement of Ganesan has been over projected, boosted to the convenience of certain papers.
You told me in 1999 that the alliance with the AIADMK was not ideologically oriented, and that you joined hands only to fight the elections. Now, in 2002, you are saying that some of the statements and actions of the AIADMK are closer to the ideology of the BJP. What does this mean?
Any alliance that is formed is an alliance for the sake of convenience. Except a very few political parties, most have ideological differences. Even today, the alliance that we have formed cannot be called an ideological alliance. We differ on many issues ideologically. This alliance at the Centre was formed for the sake of convenience. Whoever accepts the Common Minimum National Agenda and Atalji as prime minister are partners of the NDA at the Centre.
You said certain decisions of the AIADMK are closer to the ideology of the BJP. Does that mean the two parties can now work together?
That was my explanation to the question about the image that has been created about the BJP and AIADMK coming closer. The anti-conversion bill is very dear to the BJP. So, when the AIADMK government took up the issue, naturally we welcomed it. Even the AIADMK functionaries did not react as enthusiastically as we did. This has created the image that the two parties are closer now.
Actually, it is not the case. We support the government when it does some good.
But so far, we have not seen any Opposition party in India supporting a ruling party -- even if they had talked about the same issue in the past. That's why everybody is suspicious.
We don't do it. But the problem is, the quality of the BJP has created the suspicion. We want to be a party with a difference. Just because we sit in the Opposition, we don't oppose the ruling party all the time. We don't consider any party as inimical to the BJP. We are only a constructive Opposition party. We are only playing healthy politics in Tamil Nadu. But that is misunderstood by everybody as you rightly put it, any political party that sits in the Opposition criticises the ruling party without looking at whether what they do is right or wrong. We are not like that. That is also a reason that has created this impression.
What went wrong between the BJP and DMK?
I think you should ask this question to [DMK President] Mr Karunanidhi. Because it was the DMK which unilaterally passed a resolution snapping ties with the BJP. We do not know why. Of course, the next day, Mr Karunanidhi issued a statement explaining the decision. He has attributed two reasons. One, the RSS passed a resolution at the National Executive meeting that the minority community should respect the sentiments of the majority community. There was a hue and cry about this resolution but the Tamil Nadu BJP, particularly myself, supported the RSS resolution because basically I am an RSS man. Not only that, there was nothing wrong in the RSS resolution.
Shri Karunanidhi attributed this as one of the reasons (to snap ties with the BJP). Second reason was, I had openly supported the AIADMK for their statement on Godhra. Immediately after the Godhra incident, the most strongly worded statement came from the present chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Naturally, I welcomed it and appreciated her stand. Mr Karunanidhi took objection to this.
Do you get a feeling that the Jayalalithaa of this tenure has become more supportive of the Hindutva ideology? Do you also get the feeling that she is trying to come closer to the BJP?
Hindutva is a very broad concept. Hindutva is the only factor that unites the country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. By issuing such a statement on Godhra, she was being forthright and frank.
I am talking also about the anti-conversion bill, the ann-daan [offering of grain] that she has started in temples, etc.
I tell you, every political party should follow this. These are not the monopolies of the BJP. BJP is not the only political party that can talk Hindutva. Mahatma Gandhi talked about Hindutva. Lokmanya Tilak talked about this. They were not BJP people. So, each and every political party should realise this. Of course, Jayalalithaa realised it.
So, what I want to say is, by doing such things, you cannot simply say that she is doing it to please the BJP.
Do you think the new Jayalalithaa will eat away the BJP vote bank in Tamil Nadu?
I don't think so. In their heart of hearts, many political leaders know that certain things are right but due to political compulsions, they are not opening their mouths. I will say there is political hypocrisy. Only a few are frank. Others depict pseudo-secularism for the sake of vote bank politics.
In case of an alliance with the AIADMK?
We have not come that close now. We have not even thought of an alliance with the AIADMK. If that's the case why unnecessarily should I talk about a possible alliance.
The two major political parties in Tamil Nadu are the AIADMK and the DMK. In all probability, the Congress may form a third front. So, the BJP has no option but to ally with either of these two.
What is politics? Politics is a decision taken on a given situation. I cannot say anything about what will happen in the year 2004. Many things many change tomorrow. The Tamil Nadu political situation is bound to change. Nobody can say that the present Congress will remain the same till 2004. Some individual may play a major role.
You mean [Tamil superstar] Rajnikanth?
Yes. Nobody knows what he will do. So, there are many factors.
In the 1998 elections, the AIADMK was with the BJP. Then came the DMK. The NDA function on Marina beach was the same in 1999 except for one party. If the BJP changes its partner once again, will it not create a bad impression of the BJP?
Remember, we did not change our partners. I agree that we have not grown to contest the elections on our own in the state. It is a fact that we depend upon alliance partners as of today. But that does not mean that we are always thinking of striking an alliance with somebody. We want to build up our organisation by 2004. We will think about partners only then.
When questioned about their future, political parties say tomorrow is another day, and anything can change. Why is it that political parties do not like to plan for the future?
I can only react. I told you what action we are going to take -- that is building up the organisation. All the other things are reactions. I can only react to the move of other political parties. So, till I know their moves, I cannot talk about the future.
Nobody thought the DMK would snap ties one fine day. Nobody thought Jayalalithaa would bring in an anti-conversion ordinance one day. So, who knows what will happen tomorrow?
Now, let me ask you about the MDMK. Vaiko has been a strong supporter of the BJP all the time. But when he was arrested under POTA, you did not try to help him and left him at the mercy of the state government. Why?
This comes under law and order and is a state subject. It is pending with the court and only the court can deal with such issues. The central government cannot intervene. Vaiko knows it. He is also very specific that the central government should not intervene. He told me very frankly that since he believed in state autonomy, the central government should not intervene.
The BJP as a political party has expressed its support and sympathy to Vaiko. I was the first non-MDMK person who visited Vaiko in jail. Recently Venkaiah Naidu visited him.
Vaiko became a victim of the wrong application of POTA. This is what Venkaiah Naidu said.
In 1999, after Jayalalithaa left your alliance, you told me BJP without J is not blood pressure but better party and better performance. Do you still maintain that?
I said it in a lighter sense.
My question now is also in a lighter vein.
J in the BJP is Janata. If Janata is removed the BJP, BJP will have BP, blood pressure! (laughs)
Photograph: Sreeram Selvaraj; Design: Dominic Xavier