With the opposition stepping up its offensives against the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s refraining from making direct attacks on the AIADMK Supermo has raised many an eyebrow in the political circles of Tamil Nadu.

An excellent orator, Modi is known for his jibes against the Congress party. He liberally uses these punchlines even while addressing the NRI rallies abroad. It was only after massive criticism from all quarters in India that he toned it down. The otherwise mince-no-words Prime Minister is also known for his rock-like silence when criticism is levelled against members of his own party. Strangely, it is the same stance that he chooses to adopt when it comes to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

The BJP’s attitude towards Jayalalithaa has always been under the scanner, with critics pointing out that Modi’s ministers had made contradicting statements about her.

The Minister of State for Power, Piyush Goyal, had earlier said that Jayalalithaa was not an easily accessible Chief Minister, as all his attempts to meet her had failed. Among those who contradict his statement were Venkaiah Naidu and Nirmala Seetharaman, the Minister for State for Commerce and Industry. She said that the Chief Minister was indeed easily approachable, and that she was able to meet her whenever she wanted to.

The same friendly note is being maintained by Modi too.

In February, when he was here to inaugurate the ESI Hospital, and address a rally, he disappointed the state BJP leaders by not taking a stand. He was cautious enough to not attack the DMK either. As usual, the Congress party found itself on the receiving end of all his humour.

In other states that are heading for their assembly elections, Modi did not exercise this restrain when it came to attacking the chief ministers. Although the charges were the same – bad governance and corruption – Modi’s silence on Jayalalithaa is deafening.

But, in one of his rare direct attacks on Jayalalithaa, during his campaign in Kanyakumari on Sunday, he said, “Unfortunately, my name or photo did not appear on the flood relief materials,” referring to the incident during the floods in which the AIADMK party members printed her photographs on all the relief material that was gathered by individuals and volunteers.

Meanwhile, Thirumavalavan, of the Viduthalai Chiruthai Katchi, one of the members of the People Welfare Front, has said that Modi’s silence raises suspicions that the BJP could enter into a post-election alliance with the AIADMK.