Theni (Tamil Nadu), March 25 Former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, who recently joined the DMK, criticized the AIADMK-led NDA in Tamil Nadu, stating that it is an "alliance that follows orders from Delhi."
Taking aim at smaller parties within the AIADMK-led NDA for deciding to contest in the April 23 Assembly elections under the BJP's Lotus symbol, Panneerselvam asked, "Under whose leadership does the alliance led by Palaniswami function?"
When reporters responded to his query that Edappadi K. Palaniswami heads the AIADMK-led NDA alliance, he said, "If Palaniswami is the leader of the NDA alliance, and if other parties do not contest under their own party symbols, should they not be contesting under the AIADMK's two-leaf symbol?"
"Now, half of the people in the alliance are contesting under the Lotus symbol (of the BJP), and the other half are contesting under the Two Leaves symbol (of the AIADMK). So, under whose leadership is the alliance?" he asked.
"It is not an alliance led by Edappadi K. Palaniswami. It is entirely an alliance that follows orders coming from Delhi," Panneerselvam said.