K Annamalai
NEW DELHI: Former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai on Friday resigned from the party, saying he wanted to start a new “political movement.”He also voiced to end “cult and dynastic” politics. His resignation made the speculations official after days of buzz around his possible exit from the BJP. The development comes a month after the Tamil Nadu assembly election results, in which newcomer Vijay outperformed established Dravidian parties such as the DMK and AIADMK. The BJP remains a relatively weak force in Tamil Nadu, but Annamalai had emerged as one of its most influential faces in the state. The saffron party managed to win just one seat in the recent elections.In his resignation letter dated June 2 and addressed to BJP chief Nitin Nabin, Annamalai wrote, “I do not want to burden the top leadership any further with my ongoing thoughts on the way forward for a growth-oriented and culturally rooted politics in Tamil Nadu.”The former IPS officer, popularly known as “Singham” for his style of politics, said he had joined the BJP six years ago with the aim of bringing “positive change” to Tamil Nadu, inspired by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Annamalai said he wanted to “change the notion of politics.”Reflecting on the decades-long dominance of the DMK and AIADMK, he said people in the state had “yearned for change” and that this desire had motivated his entry into politics through the BJP.He added that the “people of the state were fatigued by the general political discourse for many decades and yearned for change.”According to Annamalai, several attempts at political change emerged over the past decade, but they “could not hold their ground and quickly faded from people’s memories.”He also put up his concern “National parties never spoke the language that people in Tamil Nadu understand.”The remark appeared to be a criticism of the BJP’s approach in the state, suggesting that national parties often fail to connect with local aspirations and political realities.Annamalai further said, “I firmly believe that a strong and united India is built upon the strength, dignity and aspirations of its many regions and communities.”His resignation marks a major development in Tamil Nadu politics and for the BJP in the state. However, Tamil Nadu BJP chief Nainar Nagendran dismissed the buzz that Annamalai’s exit would be a major setback, saying his resignation was “not a loss” for the party.
