K. Annamalai Launches New Political Movement in Chennai After Resigning From BJP
Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president K. Annamalai arrived in Chennai on Friday evening after launching a new political movement aimed at fighting "cult and dynasty politics" in Tamil Nadu. The announcement came shortly after BJP national president Nitin Nabin accepted Annamalai's resignation on Friday, sparking immediate resignations from other regional BJP leaders who chose to support his new venture.
Speaking from Delhi in a video interaction streamed on social media, the former IPS officer stated that his new movement would eventually evolve into a political party at an appropriate time to contest the next general election. Annamalai urged people to register as volunteers through the "We the leader" portal, which reportedly drew close to 10.5 lakh sign-ups by 11:00 p.m. on Friday.
Annamalai stated that the movement would encourage honest and efficient individuals to participate in upcoming local body elections. Selected candidates and volunteers are set to undergo training at the APJ Abdul Kalam Centre of Excellence on Ethics and Politics in Coimbatore.
Though Annamalai did not officially name the proposed party or declare its core ideology, his statements indicated that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) would be his primary targets. He also noted that he would treat all political parties, including the BJP, equally and would not hesitate to criticize his former party.
The move has already triggered a wave of exits from the state BJP unit. Senior party functionaries, including BJP state vice president Karu Nagarajan and Coimbatore south district president K. Vasantharajan, announced their resignations to support Annamalai. Nagarajan welcomed the decision, stating that Annamalai possesses a special quality and vision.
In response, the BJP sought to minimize the impact of the departure. BJP spokesperson Narayanan Tirupathy acknowledged Annamalai's contributions to the party but emphasized that the organization is not dependent on a single individual, adding that the party would produce "more Annamalais."
