CHENNAI: A fresh bout of bitterness surfaced in the ties between AIADMK and BJP on Sunday with the BJP state president K Annamalai making sharp comments in retaliation to the remarks of former ministers — CVe Shanmugam, Sellur K Raju, and D Jayakumar — over Annamalai’s comments on CN Annadurai regarding an incident that took place in 1956.
On September 11, Annamalai, at a demonstration, recalled the speech of Annadurai made in 1956 in Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple and how Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar reacted to that. Retorting, AIADMK leaders strongly condemned Annamalai and said there was no need for him to make unsavoury remarks about Annadurai.
Shanmugam, on Saturday, went a step ahead and said the BJP leadership should restrain Annamalai from making such comments and that it was the BJP that needed the AIADMK for alliance and not otherwise.
Reacting vehemently to the remarks at a press conference in Coimbatore, Annamalai said alliance is important but self-respect is more important. “If a few think that we should be their slaves, we can’t be so. In 2026, the BJP will come to power in Tamil Nadu. But it won’t come as a clone or as a B or C team of another party.”
Asked about the alliance with AIADMK, Annamalai said, “Alliance is going well. Myself and Edappadi ‘annan’ speak over the telephone. If a few people act as attention seekers, what can I do?” On the remarks of Shanmugam that Annamalai’s yatra is a ‘vasool yatra,’ Annamalai said, “Thieves used to get afraid when they see a good policeman. Those who served as ministers in the past and made vasool (collection of money) as their habit, see politics as a tool to earn. So, they extend the same logic to our yatra.”
Annamalai said he did not speak ill of Annadurai and only referred to a portion of the history. He also said he had high regard for Annadurai and that he just recalled what Muthuramalinga Thevar said.
Asked about the fresh bout of war of words between the two parties, an AIADMK leader said, “When in alliance, the parties concerned used to avoid referring to certain bitter incidents in the past. What is the need for Annamalai to drag in Anna in this issue now? To retaliate, AIADMK leaders can also speak about the charge that the RSS cadre tried to torch the house of K Kamaraj.
But we did not do that because it won’t augur well for the alliance. We hope the top brass of the BJP will restrain Annamalai.” On the developments, political analyst Tharasu Shyam said Annamalai’s version of what happened in Madurai was factually wrong. “Besides, just ahead of elections, such bitter remarks from Annamalai will prevent vote transfer from AIADMK cadre to BJP candidates in LS polls because they have been fed up with the continued pinpricks from him. There are umpteen number of issues Annamalai could have taken up for supporting Sanatana Dharma but why did he dig up something relating to a leader who is no more is raising questions.”