Explained: ‘Unhappy’ with the BJP, K Annamalai rumoured to float new political party soon
A former IPS officer, Annamalai gained significant attention in politics when he was appointed as the Tamil Nadu BJP president in July 2021 at the age of 37.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK boss MK Stalin on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Union Home Minsiter Amit Shah and AIADMK leadership, saying they joined hands for the 2026 state assembly elections is an attempt to revive the failed alliance and that their alliance has no ideological foundation.
“The AIADMK-BJP alliance is an alliance of defeat. The people of Tamil Nadu are the ones who repeatedly handed down this defeat. Despite that, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has attempted to revive this failed alliance. NaduThe press briefing given by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Chennai yesterday was unworthy of the position he holds. Though it is his choice to confirm the AIADMK-BJP alliance, he did not clarify why this alliance was formed or what ideological foundation it stands on. Instead, he vaguely claimed they would work on forming a common minimum programme,” Stalin said.
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He sought clarity from the AIADMK, saying the party claimed to oppose the NEET exam, the imposition of Hindi, the three-language policy, and the Waqf Act. “Are any of these issues part of their so-called ‘minimum programme”? the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister asked.
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Accusing the AIADMK leader Palaniswami of mortgaging Tamil Nadu’s self-esteem and rights to Delhi, Stalin said he brought ruin upon the state.
“On the other hand, the power-hungry AIADMK-BJP alliance stands in direct opposition to these ideals. No one has forgotten that Palaniswami, driven by a desire for position, mortgaged Tamil Nadu’s self-respect and rights to Delhi and brought ruin upon the state,” he added.
Referring to the late AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa’s conviction in disproportionate assets case, Stalin took a swipe at Amit Shah, saying it was “laughable” that he would speak about corruption while sharing a stage with AIADMK leaders.
“For the Home Minister to speak about corruption while standing on a stage that declared an alliance with the AIADMK is laughable to the people of Tamil Nadu. It was due to corruption that Jayalalithaa had to step down twice as Chief Minister. She was sentenced to four years in prison in the disproportionate assets case by the Special Court in Bengaluru. Is ‘corruption’ the word to be used while forming an alliance with her party?” the Tamil Nadu CM asked.
Meanwhile, reacting to Stalin’s criticism, AIADMK National Spokesperson Kovai Sathyan said that the DMK has sensed defeat and therefore questioning the bases of their alliance with the BJP.
“This is the start of a grand alliance which is going to form the government in 2026 under the leadership of AIADMK, Edappadi K. Palaniswami. Having sensed the defeat, they (DMK) started to question the basis of this alliance. We are ideologically different, that’s why we are two different parties. At the same time – the common Minimum program is there. There are two points which add more weightage and merit. The first is a dynasty in the name of democracy.
That’s what is happening in Tamil Nadu under DMK… and DMK’s dynasty rule needs to be shown the door for the welfare of Tamil Nadu. The second thing is the corruption…,” Sathyan said.
On Friday, the AIADMK and BJP announced an alliance to contest the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu together. Both the parties had fought the 2021 assembly polls together but poarted ways in 2023 over several differences, including state BJP chief Annamalai’s alleged criticism of Jayalalitha.
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