U-turn? Ahmedabad auto driver who invited Kejriwal for dinner says he is Modi fan
Ahmedabad, Sep 30: He may have invited Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to his house in Ahmedabad for a much-publicised dinner two weeks ago, but autorickshaw driver Vikram Dantani says he is a big fan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a staunch supporter of his party BJP.
On Friday, Dantani was spotted at a public rally of Modi, who is on a two-day Gujarat visit, in the Thaltej area of the city, donning saffron scarf and cap, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) trademark attire.
When confronted by media, Dantani said he had invited Kejriwal to his home during the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) town hall meeting in Ahmedabad on September 13 because he was asked to do so by leaders of an autorickshaw union.
Dantani hogged limelight when Kejriwal, the AAP convener, travelled to his home in his autorickshaw after accepting the dinner invite at the meeting.
"I invited Kejriwal for dinner because I was asked to do so by our union leaders. As soon as I offered to host him for a meal at my home, Kejriwal accepted it. I did not know it would become such a big issue. Otherwise, I am not at all associated with the party (AAP). I am not in touch with any AAP leader after that episode," he told reporters.
The autorickshaw driver then went on to add that he was a big admirer of the prime minister and that he had always voted for the BJP.
"I came here (for the rally) because I am a huge fan of Modiji. I have been with the BJP since the beginning and always gave my vote to the BJP in the past. I am not saying this under any pressure," said Dantani.
As part of the AAP's campaign in Gujarat ahead of the year-end Assembly elections, Kejriwal held a town hall meeting with autorickshaw drivers here on September 13.
During interaction, Dantani urged Kejriwal to have dinner at his house, a proposal swiftly accepted by the Delhi CM.
That night, the AAP convener, who was staying in a five-star hotel, travelled in Dantani's three-wheeler along with some local party leaders and reached his modest home in the Ghatlodia area, where they had dinner.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
