COIMBATORE: Former BJP Tamil Nadu president and chief mentor of We The Leaders K Annamalai on Sunday said his party would usher in a change of government in the state in 2031, hinting that it would only enter electoral politics in the next Assembly elections.
Speaking at the first conference of We The Leaders themed on ‘Drug-Free Tamil Nadu’ in Pollachi in Coimbatore district, Annamalai said that 54% of the people who had joined the party are below the age of 40. “It is these people, who view society differently, that brought about a change in government in Tamil Nadu in 2026. They are going to bring about another change in government in 2031,” he said.
Announcing the launch of a trade union forum called En Mann, En Makkal, he said 1.5 lakh people will be trained at the APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Ethics and Politics in Coimbatore by October 2027.
“Since the organisation was launched on June 5, 19 lakh people have joined in 38 days... Just by seeing so many come here without any invitation, it is clear that there are good people in TN waiting for an opportunity. When those joining us reach 50 lakh, it will mean the people of TN are calling us,” he said. Of the 19 lakh, he said 83% are men, and 17% women.
Clarifying the organisation’s position, he said, “We The Leaders is going to be a healthy political party. It’ll be there before the people of TN in 2031.”
‘We have done enough politics with caste and religion’
Annamalai said, “When we have the right number of members and the right leaders, this organisation will become a political party. Not now.” He added that the conference was not a political rally and the aim was not to create trouble for the newly-formed TVK government.
“Some people asked me to speak against the TVK government. The government has come to power in 2026 with the support of 1.68 crore people. Except for Minister KA Sengottaiyan, most of them are first-time MLAs. They will stumble a little. When they stumble, we should lift them up, not push them down.
Our organisation has not come to capture power arrogantly,” he claimed. Speaking of his departure from BJP, he said there was anger, but it had to be shown responsibly. Although DMK had raised doubts of him being the BJP’s B-team, he was firm that he should not speak ill while leaving a party, Annamalai said.
Welcoming the HR&CE department’s decision to lift the bar on registration of 3085 acres of Inam land in Karur, he said he supported the TVK government’s move and was being called anti-Hindu for it. “Though I belong to the Hindu religion, I will stand with all of you as a common person without caste or religious identity.
We have done enough politics with caste and religion,” he claimed. Stressing the need to close more liquor shops, he said the organisation will push the government in a healthy manner. He said awareness campaigns against drugs will be held every July; the organisation had a six-month plan to focus on one public issue each month. The conference passed six resolutions demanding to make the state as drug and liqour-free.
