While the AIADMK was quick to respond to Union Home Minister ‘all doors open’ comment vehemently denying any possibility of reconciliation, TN BJP president K Annamalai said the Union Minister was not referring to AIADMK at all. Speaking to the media on February 7, Annamalai clarified that the BJP was open to any party joining them and it was not specific to the AIADMK. “The NDA is open to anyone who accepts Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his vision,” said the BJP leader.
He also spoke about the release of the DMK tapes and DMK leader TR Baalu’s statements questioning Annamalai’s stature in politics. This was in response to Annamalai’s questions to TR Baalu about the DMK’s activities. Annamalai said, “We had been releasing the 2G tapes. We have released five tapes so far and still have tapes related to T R Baalu pending.
I will have a press conference after the final tape gets released. I will not speak until that time. He cannot escape anywhere. All these things are just the height of arrogance. People are watching. If Baalu thinks he is a big politician because of his age, then it is wrong. If Baalu thinks he knows everything because he has been in politics for over 50 years and no one, whether Annamalai or the BJP, should question him. He is not someone who rules here; we are not his slaves. In the upcoming days, we will raise more tough questions against him. After the conclusion of the nine tapes of ‘DMK Files’ Part 3, we will see whether Baalu survives in politics.”
On Tuesday, there was an uproar in the Lok Sabha when TR Baalu stated that Dalit BJP leader L Murugan (Minister of State in the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting) was unfit to be an MP or a minister.
Annamalai attacked Baalu for also reportedly insulting the Dalit community with his remarks.