Dalits in Tamil Nadu would also support the BJP in the 2026 Assembly election, the party’s State president K. Annamalai said here on Sunday.
He was responding to VCK founder Thol. Thirumavalavan’s remarks on Saturday that barring Tamil Nadu, Dalits in other parts of the country were supporting the BJP. The VCK leader attributed the exception in Tamil Nadu to the role played by his party.
On TVK president Vijay’s criticism that the Central government was not paying attention to the issues in Manipur, Mr. Annamalai said he was willing to accompany Mr. Vijay to Manipur and other northeastern States and show him around. It was only after the BJP or the NDA came to power in the northeastern States did the disturbed area notification get withdrawn in most of the places.
The BJP leader further said that Anand Teltumbde’s brother, Milind Baburao Teltumbde, was a member of the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee, and had participated in the event to release a book on Dr. Ambedkar along with VCK’s deputy general secretary Aadhav Arjuna. “Is there no one else in Tamil Nadu to compile and release a book on Dr. Ambedkar? Please do not bring naxal type of politics to Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Mr. Annamalai said that Mr. Arjuna was close to the DMK. His father-in-law had given nearly ₹508 crore in electoral bonds to the DMK. “Who brought monarchy rule to Tamil Nadu and supported it ? It looks like this was a scheme of the DMK to split the Opposition votes..,” he alleged.
He further asked, “If Mr. Thirumavalavan had asked Mr. Arjuna to participate in the event, does he take responsibility for what Mr. Arjuna spoke at the event?…”
Mr. Annamalai also said that Minister Senthibalaji, who spent a year in prison, should not threaten to sue him for speaking about the DMK buying power from Adani Green Energy. “We should [have a space for] healthy politics in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Published – December 09, 2024 12:28 am IST
