Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran on Wednesday said there was no need for his party to threaten anyone using agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Speaking to reporters in Tirunelveli, he maintained that the ED and the Income Tax Department function as independent bodies.
He said investigations would be carried out only against those who are already facing issues, and argued that many of the cases being cited existed well before the current election season. He claimed that ED and Income Tax cases against DMK ministers and actor Vijay had been in place even before Vijay launched his party, and questioned whether it was fair to call it “threatening” now.
On alliance talks, Nagendran said discussions would take place when Union Minister Piyush Goyal visits Tamil Nadu, adding that the minister could arrive in the next couple of days. He said an announcement on seat-sharing talks would be made later, noting that there was still time for the election process, including the nomination window.
Nagendran also said the BJP had not held talks with Vijay or his party, and dismissed claims suggesting otherwise. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Kanyakumari and Coimbatore, though the dates are yet to be finalised, and added that several national leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda, as well as Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, would campaign in the state.
Commenting on the DMK-led alliance, he said there were claims that seats for DMK allies had been reduced and asserted that voters would reduce them further. He also alleged that the DMK was a religion-based party, while insisting the BJP was not, and said the party participates in events of different religious communities. He extended Ugadi greetings to the public.
