POLITICAL BUZZ OVER 'ANNAMALAI 2.0 AVATAR' POSTERS

Hinzugefügt: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]Welcome back viewers. There are more questions than answers. The mystery continues to deepen on whether Tamil Nadu politics is on the verge of a major shake-up or not because BJP leader Annamalai's supporters have launched a massive campaign projecting him in a 2.0 avatar urging him to save Tamil Nadu.

[00:00:16]And at the same time, rumors of dissatisfaction within the BJP, reports of a possible new political outfit, and his public opposition to the center's three-language policy have triggered intense speculation. And as June 4th approaches, the big question is very simple. Is Annamalai preparing for a bigger role in the BJP, or is he preparing to chart his own political course? The DMK has responded to these posters being plastered across Tamil Nadu, and they've called it nothing but funny. Listen in to DMK.

[00:00:50]>> To start a new party, he's seeking permission from BJP head.

[00:00:54]Funny thing, he's already a BJP man.

[00:00:57]Now, he wants to start a new party, for which he's seeking the permission of this BJP. Anything will happen in BJP politics. That much I can say because I don't think Annamalai will quit BJP because it's very difficult to run a party. He's not an actor like Vijay.

[00:01:15]>> Now, to help us decipher the situation, we have T. Ramakrishnan, senior associate editor of The Hindu. A very good evening to you, sir. How do you look at these Annamalai 2.0 posters, save Tamil Nadu posters being put up across Tamil Nadu just before his birthday? And after the election results, how do you look at this, sir? Your first thoughts.

[00:01:36]>> Mr. Annamalai uh pursuing his own line of action.

[00:01:42]>> Mhm.

[00:01:43]>> Okay.

[00:01:44]It was It was uh talked about even uh before the election assembly elections.

[00:01:51]And in fact, immediately after he was eased out of the BJP president post for Tamil Nadu unit.

[00:01:59]Even uh so the talk began around that time.

[00:02:03]But uh he kept cool and then he kept uh has been maintaining a low profile.

[00:02:08]And uh some people in uh in fact anticipated he would stay away from the election campaign uh at the time of assembly elections, but uh he took part in the uh as campaign. But he didn't contest.

[00:02:24]So something the present development latest development uh with regard to this uh erection of posters and all that uh it appears to be a part of uh that uh you know, developing that narrative that he is working for a independent uh uh political line.

[00:02:45]But uh as Mr. Elangovan says, it is it is not that easy to run a party.

[00:02:50]>> Mhm.

[00:02:51]>> And when you have a of course all of this when you have a charismatic leader in Vijay okay, as your rival uh it is not because the space can be occupied only by one charismatic figure. Okay. Uh then of course this anomaly also has been has been sort of a charismatic figure. I am not disputing that. But uh uh let me see whether he will uh uh >> Sir, you know what the supporters are saying? The supporters are saying that if Annamalai is such a charismatic leader in Tamil Nadu, why was he sidelined within the BJP? Because the alliance when it was forged with the AIADMK, Annamalai was reportedly unhappy. He was sidelined, removed from Tamil Nadu BJP president post. He was not even given a ticket to contest. So all of these factors, do you think have added to the you know, discomfort within the BJP, you know, especially in the Annamalai camp?

[00:03:52]>> Not that he was not given ticket. I think they wanted him to contest but anyhow but he he chose not to contest.

[00:03:58]That is number one. But of course he was making it a very clear sometime in 20 4 or so around that time.

[00:04:07]Uh after even 23 I think even when the ties had not been broken no with the ADMK in that that happened sometime in September 2023.

[00:04:18]>> Mhm.

[00:04:19]>> But even in May 2023 he said that if if his party leadership forced him to align with the ADMK he would quit the post. So in fact he told in internal uh meeting of his party. Okay. But then they of course the divorce took place in September and then they all went alone.

[00:04:42]>> Mhm.

[00:04:43]>> But that didn't work out. That is that didn't work out.

[00:04:46]So the So I don't think he I won't say that he was sidelined but the BJP had made an error in easing him out in April 2025. They could have waited the leadership could have waited until the elections were over. That is assembly elections were over. After all it was the leadership the BJP leadership which made him party president in 21 July or so.

[00:05:13]>> Mhm.

[00:05:13]>> So having given him almost for four years they could have extended that for one more year and he could have been told to cooperate with Edappadi. Because if the party wanted to to get some foothold only through the alliance with the ADMK I don't think he would not have I don't think he would not have resisted that idea.

[00:05:37]>> Mhm.

[00:05:37]>> But the point was that somehow they wanted to uh you know keep they thought that by keeping him out of power the sense out of the post of BJP president, Edappadi would be happy.

[00:05:52]So, I think that was their calculation and then uh uh but but I think uh this of course that there there has been a grievance that uh uh you know, among his supporters, admirers, outside the party that his services should have been better utilized by the party and that they had uh uh simply squandered the kind of goodwill that he had generated uh over the four years between 24 21 later part and then till about 25.

[00:06:22]>> Mhm.

[00:06:22]>> Uh then I think uh so by removing him uh the BJP leadership had uh ceded the space to Vijay.

[00:06:33]>> Sir, by putting up these posters, what do the supporters of Annamalai want and what does Annamalai really want in Tamil Nadu BJP?

[00:06:43]>> Annamalai, I think he has told reporters, he told reporters in the evening that he would make his position clear in a few days. I think on June 4th, his birthday falls on June 4th. I think that's what I saw in one or two items.

[00:06:59]>> Uh-huh.

[00:06:59]>> But uh the the point is his admirers, of course, they have been uh telling him to uh go out of BJP and then start a party.

[00:07:10]Uh perhaps there is some uh scope because you see, the Mr. Stalin is about 73 plus.

[00:07:19]>> Mhm.

[00:07:20]>> Okay. And then if you take uh Edappadi Palaniswami is also around 70 plus.

[00:07:26]Okay. So, their age is after 5 years.

[00:07:28]Now, they have got a rival who is around 50 plus.

[00:07:32]>> Mhm.

[00:07:32]>> Okay. Almost a generation of >> generational shift.

[00:07:35]>> Okay. So, so the maybe the Annamalai's supporters, even Annamalai might be sensing that there exists an opportunity for him to take on powerful leader like Vijay. Okay. Who can't be challenged by older people like Stalin or Edappadi. So I think think perhaps this calculation if at all he has made this calculation, I think this factor would have weighed him weighed weighed in favor of going it alone. That is pursuing an independent >> this particular, you know, plan and this calculations will get him, you know, the results that he wants, that is something that remains to be seen, sir. But unfortunately, we've run out of time, Mr. Ramakrishnan, but thank you for your valuable insights. June 4th will have all the answers to the political mystery that's currently brewing in Tamil Nadu with posters being plastered across the state. Nobody knows what really is on the mind of Annamalai, but everybody knows that there is a discomfort within the BJP.