In a sharp rebuke aimed at his former political ally, K Annamalai, the State BJP president, criticized the AIADMK leadership for incessantly chanting his name instead of addressing the pressing concerns of Tamil Nadu. Speaking at his ‘En Mann En Makkal’ yatra in Gummidipoondi, Tiruvallur district, Annamalai highlighted the need for the AIADMK to prioritize the state’s issues over futile name-calling.Annamalai’s remarks were a response to D Jayakumar, former Minister and AIADMK Organising Secretary, who had repeatedly mentioned Annamalai’s name in public discourse. Dismissing the constant repetition of his name as a diversion from substantive matters, Annamalai challenged the AIADMK leadership to focus on addressing the challenges facing Tamil Nadu, suggesting that such a shift in focus could lead to better performance for their party.
Drawing attention to the recent rift between the BJP and AIADMK, Annamalai underscored the contradictory reasons cited by the AIADMK leadership for the dissolution of their alliance. While the AIADMK initially attributed the split to Annamalai’s leadership of the Tamil Nadu BJP unit, they later claimed it was due to the alleged lack of support from the BJP-led Union government. Annamalai called upon the AIADMK to clarify the true reason behind the alliance breakup, urging transparency from the party leadership.
In a departure from political rhetoric, Annamalai also touched upon the contentious issue of religious harmony, advocating for the construction of a mosque in Ayodhya alongside the Ram Mandir. He emphasized the need for inclusivity and mutual respect among different religious communities, suggesting that the coexistence of both a mosque and a temple would symbolize India’s secular ethos.
Meanwhile, after Amit Shah reportedly indicated that the BJP was open to welcoming back the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) fold ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai said the Union home minister had not named any particular party and that the NDA was always open to anyone who accepts Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his vision.