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Former Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president K Annamalai, on October 31, dismissed reports that he may launch a new political party but indicated that he was conflicted about his current role within the BJP.
Answering questions from reporters in Coimbatore, Annamalai said, “I will stay if I like, or I will quit if I don't and continue farming. No one can make a person stay in a party with a gun on his head. Politics is a voluntary mechanism and we are in it, spending our own money.”
“I joined the BJP and continue to remain in it with the confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will bring pure politics to the state. Otherwise, there was no reason for me to quit my job and become a party worker,” he further added.
Commenting on floating a new party, Annamalai said, “I am a first-generation politician from an agricultural family without any political backing. How can I start a new party? I know my limits,” adding that he was confident about the PM.
“Sometimes I find myself speaking against my conscience because I'm asked to. Still, there are some things one cannot tolerate. Let’s wait and see. Good things will happen,” Annamalai added.
He also said that several AIADMK leaders were still making personal remarks against him. “I am keeping quiet because of the word I gave to Amit Shah. It would take me two minutes to respond, but everyone has a Lakshman rekha. When the time comes, I will talk,” he said.
When asked about the recent expulsion of senior leader KA Sengottaiyan from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Annamalai said, “We saw several political developments at the Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar guru pooja on Thursday. I am also waiting and watching as a Karyakarta of the BJP.”
Annamalai added that all BJP members have the same goal: ensuring the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) victory in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Sengottaiyan was expelled on October 31, a day after he met with other former AIADMK senior leaders, including O Panneerselvam, TTV Dhinakaran and Sasikala, at an event commemorating Muthuramalinga Thevar at Pasumpon.
During his Coimbatore press meet, Annamalai also spoke about the recent scam allegations raised by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department, as well as the incoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Tamil Nadu.