MDMK snaps ties with BJP, says Modi betrayed Tamils

CHENNAI: The Vaiko-led MDMK on Monday snapped ties with NDA alleging that the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre was acting against the interest of Tamils by working with the Sri Lankan government and pushing the Hindutva agenda in Tamil Nadu.
MDMK's decision to quit the alliance, cobbled together days before the Lok Sabha elections, comes ahead of BJP president Amit Shah's scheduled to visit the state on a two-day trip aimed at strengthening the party in the southern state.Addressing the press after a high-level committee unanimously passed a resolution to quit the NDA, Vaiko showered praise on the Vajpayee-led government remarking, "Modi's BJP government is different from Vajpayee's BJP government."
"We are very happy to quit the NDA. But, we have no regrets. Politics is a journey. We took the decision to join NDA hoping they would work for the interests of Tamils. But they betrayed us," he said.
However, BJP downplayed MDMK's exit from the alliance. Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamizhisai Soundararajan said, "When Vaiko criticised the Prime Minister, I had requested him not to do that. But when he continued to criticise, we had some doubts, which has now been confirmed by their decision."
The MDMK resolution alleged that the BJP government had given permission to review safety aspects of the Mullaperiyar dam. The resolution also said the Modi government had not acted in favour of the people of Tamil Nadu in the Cauvery water dispute with Karnataka.
The resolution condemned Modi for wishing Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa victory in the coming elections in the island nation. It also said the Modi government was silent on Subramanaian Swamy's demand for Bharat Ratna for Rajapaksa. It said the Centre had been secretly making all facilities for Rajapaksa to visit Tirupati on December 9.