Tamil Nadu: No role for AIADMK at the Centre despite landslide victory

Chennai: Despite a massive showing in the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu, the road leading to the Red Fort in New Delhi seems too distant for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. Even after winning 37 out of 39 seats in the state, the AIADMK supremo will have no say in the formation of the next government as the BJP has achieved a majority in Parliament on its own.
“It is an unparalleled historic victory and the AIADMK has achieved it on its own without the support of any ally,” Jayalalithaa said after the results were declared on May 16.
It will be the first time since 1996 that the DMK and the AIADMK will be sitting out of the Central government but both the Dravidian parties insist that they will continue to push for Tamil Nadu’s interests in Parliament.”It is how we present the case in Parliament and how we convince the government to protect the interests of Tamils in the island and our fishermen,” DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said.
Jayalalithaa, too, has made it clear that she will continue to implement all things promised in her manifesto and will not back down on core issues in the state.
Though the Prime Minister designate Narendra Modi has assured Jayalalithaa of absolute cooperation between the Centre and State, the people of Tamil Nadu will have to wait and see what stand Modi ‘s government take on the Tamil fishermen issue or on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.