How ex-IPS K Annamalai making BJP politically viable in Tamil Nadu

New Delhi: For the first time in decades, the Bharatiya Janata Party has found hope of growing electorally in Tamil Nadu. The saffron party's state chief K Annamalai is seemingly taking on the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam almost single-handedly and bringing out its alleged corruption before the people.

Annamalai's ongoing crusade against the DMK leaders' alleged financial misappropriation has already claimed two victims.

The first victim was Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, also known as PTR, who served as the finance minister in Chief Minister M K Stalin's government in Tamil Nadu for two years. In the recent Cabinet reshuffle, PTR was relieved of its finance portfolio and allocated the IT ministry instead.

This came after clips of PTR’s dealing were released by Annamalai in which PTR can be allegedly heard making allegations against Stalin's family members and other DMK leaders.

The arrest of Senthil Balaji by the Enforcement Directorate can also be directly linked to the efforts of Annamalai. He had been demanding Balaji’s removal from the Stalin Cabinet for the past several months due to his alleged role in a cash-for-jobs scam. “The Governor must recommend chief minister M K Stalin to remove Senthil Balaji from the cabinet and give the police a free hand to investigate the case," Annamalai said in his complaint.

This crusade against corruption by Annamalai has wholly exposed the DMK government, and for the first time in several years a credible leader has emerged for the BJP in Tamil Nadu, sources said.

The rise of Annamalai comes even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been trying hard to create a foothold for the BJP in the Dravidian stronghold.

Making BJP a viable political alternative in Tamil Nadu

Over the past two decades, the BJP has been contesting elections in Tamil Nadu in alliance with regional players. During this time, the saffron unit allied with both the Dravidian parties, the AIADMK and the DMK.

With AIADMK on a back foot after the death of Jayalalithaa and the ensuing infighting amongst the party cadre, the BJP feels that this is the opportune moment for the saffron unit to make itself as a viable option in the southern state, sources said.

With an aggressive, young and dynamic state unit chief in the form of K Annamalai, the saffron unit may now be looking at an all-out offence against Dravidian political parties to create its own space in Tamil politics. By projecting Annamalai as its leader, the party attempts to seek the votes of the educated and urban population.

Annamalai is also seemingly receiving the complete backing of the top three in the BJP, PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party chief J P Nadda, and all his strategic moves against the DMK are receiving complete support from them.

Though the Congress has failed miserably to take on Dravidian ideology-driven parties over the past several decades, if the BJP can break into Tamil Nadu’s vote share on its own, it would be the first such time that a national party would be able to do so.

The attempt to woo the voters is part of the saffron party’s eye on expansion in South India. It is part of the BJP's massive expansion plan in the region ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The party has set a target of winning 100 seats in Lok Sabha from the five southern states of the country. Tamil Nadu with its 39 Lok Sabha seats on the top of the priority list of the BJP for expansion in the region.