A video clip showing Home Minister Amit Shah seemingly reprimanding BJP leader and former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan at the swearing-in ceremony of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has sparked controversy and speculation on social media.
The brief exchange, captured on camera, shows Tamilisai greeting Amit Shah, but he calls her back and engages in what appears to be a serious discussion. Social media is abuzz with users raising questions about the nature of their conversation.
Some have linked the incident to the rumblings of infighting within the Tamil Nadu BJP, particularly between supporters of state president K Annamalai and Tamilisai Soundararajan.
The controversy has drawn attention from the DMK, the ruling party in Tamil Nadu. DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai took to X, saying, “What kind of politics is this? Is it polite to publicly reprimand a prominent female politician from Tamil Nadu? Amit Shah should know that everyone will see this. A very wrong example!”
The underlying issue seems to be a rumoured rift between Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai and Tamilisai Soundararajan following the party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu.
The controversy began after the BJP drew a blank in the Lok Sabha polls in the state, with party functionaries reportedly blaming Annamalai for the loss. They believe that Annamalai’s approach led to the AIADMK breaking ties with the BJP, resulting in significant losses for the party.