Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Former Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai is set to launch his own political outfit with a nationalist plank after turning down all offers made by the BJP’s central leadership, sources said on Tuesday.
According to sources, Annamalai met BJP national secretary BL Santhosh and BJP president Nitin Nabin earlier on Tuesday amid growing speculation over his political future and reports that he is preparing to launch a new party in Tamil Nadu.
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Sources said Annamalai has decided against accepting any position offered by the BJP, including potential central responsibilities or a Rajya Sabha berth. He has also ruled out joining any existing political party in Tamil Nadu, including Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and is instead preparing to launch an independent political outfit.
The decision is understood to have been shaped by developments surrounding the BJP’s alliance with the AIADMK and concerns over the party’s efforts to project itself as not being opposed to the Dravidian political tradition, sources added.
While Annamalai has not publicly commented on the development, the reported move could mark a significant shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape ahead of the next electoral cycle.
The development comes a day after posters carrying former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai’s photograph and the line, “Fearless minds gave no limits”, have come up across Coimbatore, triggering speculation over whether he is getting ready to start a new political party.
The speculation has grown further as Annamalai has missed two state central committee meetings so far. His supporters have also said that his fan welfare outfit, Annamalai Anbu Koottam, is enrolling new members and office-bearers.
The latest turn comes amid signs of differences between Annamalai and the Centre over the three-language policy. Last week, he urged the Union Education Ministry to withdraw its recent notification making three languages compulsory for Class IX students from the current academic year, and asked it to follow its earlier decision to introduce the rule from the 2029-30 academic year.
This was not the only point of friction. Annamalai’s relationship with the AIADMK had reportedly deteriorated ahead of the Assembly elections, particularly over his remarks on CN Annadurai and J Jayalalithaa, which further widened the rift. The fallout is said to have contributed to his removal as BJP state chief at the insistence of the ally.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
