Annamalai to Quit BJP? Meets Nitin Nabin, Expected to Meet Amit Shah Amid Exit Speculation | News18

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:04]All right, we're starting with the with Tamil Nadu update. As far as Anamala is concerned, he is all set to meet BJP president Nitin Nabin and BL Santo seeks time to meet home minister Amit Sha as well. Remember there has in fact been talks about how this could in fact be a farewell meeting of Anamalai and we know that the political career of Anamalai after he left IPS he joined the BJP and now he is in fact all set to leave the Bhartya Jantaa party but before that he's going to meet the BJP leadership and today he is in the national capital all set to meet Amita he's also seeking appointment of course from Amita but as of now there are scheduled meeting with BL Santosh apart from that also meeting Nitin Nabin the BJP president so of course there are talks about how he is miffed with the leadership about how he's not been given much opportunities of course we have also been hearing that Anamalai could in fact start something of his own like a party with the youth >> oh absolutely and if you were to analyze and assess Anomalai's trajectory within the Bhhati party. Remember Sharon, critics of Anumallaya are also of the view that this is somebody who was given ample platform. He had a meteoric rise because given he joined the Bharty Jenta party only in the year 2020 and he was soon after that appointed as the BJP state president. Uh yet he was given a miss during the election buildup. Uh he was missing from the key election committees as well for the BJP. Let's quickly take this forward with Arun Dhanta and Purima Murli who are joining us live at the moment. Let's quickly go across to Purima at the moment. Pura, what can you tell us? BL Santosh's name also doing the rounds with regards to the meeting. Till yesterday we were being told that Anamalai will be meeting with Union Minister Amit Sha and of course there are going to be there's also going to be a meeting slated with Nitin Nabin. What else can you tell us?

[00:02:14]Well uh sources from the Anamallay camp say that uh meeting with Nitan Naban is uh is uh likely uh happening any any time now. It it will be happening in the first half and then uh with the home minister probably in the second half is what sources from Ana Mallay camp also say. Yes of course BL Santosh meeting with meeting with BL Santosh is also happening. So these are the three crucial meetings. Anam Mallay is likely to formally announce that he will be quitting the BJP uh by the end of the day or by tomorrow or morning is what sources confirm. After the meetings happen, there will be an official uh statement or a video that will be released from Anamalai is what sources close to Anamalai say. Uh yes. uh uh when when we asked if there will be uh uh the rethinking on his decision, they say that he's decided to officially quit the BJP and start a movement and eventually may look at floating his own party to cater to the Gen Z is what sources close to Anam who've been interacting with him have told us but that will take uh more time may float a party but that is not going to happen immediately will take time is what sources have confirmed so by today or by Tomorrow latest there will be an official statement or a video released from Anamalai on what his next course of action is going to be as far as Tamil Nadu politics and his role is concerned.

[00:03:39]>> All right, I request you Punima to stay with us. I'm now joined by Arun Data also who will be tracking Anamalai who is in the national capital. Arun, so far it seems that a meeting with BL Santosh has happened but what about the leadership? Are they actually going to convince Anamalai to stay back?

[00:03:59]>> Well, see Sharon, the information which we are breaking right now is that Anamalai has met both PL Santos who's general secretary organization of the BJP and also BJP chief Nitin Nabin.

[00:04:12]That's what we can confirm right now that he has met both the leaders this morning. Now what is next for him is to meet home minister Amitad. That's something which he's looking forward for. As of now, he hasn't got any confirmation from the home minister's offices side. But uh one thing is confirmed that he has met BJP chief Nitin Naven and BL Santosh and all three of course are very important people in the in the BJP and home minister Amit Sha of course and BL Santosh have played very crucial role when he roped into the party organization in 2021 and later on of course made the BJP president also we have seen BJP's rise there in the state in terms of uh vote share 11.2 was something which they got in the in the Lokaba elections when BJP went alone in the in the elections. Now of course the recently concluded assembly election BJP performed very poorly and that's what Anamalai has been speaking that if you go to alliance with the DMK it will have impacts on the party on which he was working on probably sensing the situation on the ground Anamalai is knowing that right now of course sentiment is pretty much against the traditional parties in the state which is the IDMK and DMK and that's the reason why you saw that TVK Vijay have got this massive support. So probably Vijay after meeting B Santosh and BJP president Nitin Nabin have clarified that he's not going to stay in the BJP.

[00:05:51]He's going to resign. We seeing that resignation letter pretty soon and before that of course he'll be seeking time to meet home minister Amita. What he's going to do next that's something which is not not clear as of now. He's already said that he'll be making things clear within 48 hours. So once he meets home for home minister Amita probably you'll see that the next course of action of Anamalai would be in public domain.

[00:06:14]>> Stay with me Adam let me quickly bring in Punea also into the conversation.

[00:06:18]Punima Maria are talking about a series of strategic errors on the part of the BJP because the first was the alliance they struck with the AIA DMK something that Anamalai was against inherently um and he had almost predicted the kind of performance that the BJP has displayed in Tamil Nad this time around.

[00:06:39]The second is his exit. uh what is the sense that you're getting from your sources within the Bhhati Jantaa party?

[00:06:55]Well, mixed reactions rather. Remember uh many leaders from the Tamil Nadu state BJP uh did not like uh uh to to work under Anamallay's leadership but the party Carter uh and some of the leaders uh said that this is uh the kind of leader that would help the BJP grow.

[00:07:15]>> Okay. Okay. Um let's quickly take that forward with Arun as well. Well, Arun, if you could also add to that uh in terms of what will the Bhhat Jantaa party have to offer um given that it's already been touted as a farewell meeting. Is this already an exit for Anamalai or is there still hope?

[00:07:37]Well, see there is there is no hope.

[00:07:38]That's what it appears at this point because Anamalai has already decided and before taking this move and he's coming to Delhi meeting all the top leaders of the BJP you know both sides had conversations and it was of course then decided that okay Anamalai would want to have a separate path he will have it but as far as of course in the public domain is concerned that's why we seeing these meetings are taking place it's not that Anamalai is here and you'd offer him something and he'll be saying back in the party all discussions you know had already taken place so there's no room for anamal of course to stay he has decided he charted his course and uh that's that's of course you know a kind of a courtesy or as you say a farewell blessings that he's going to seek from and that's a process also of course because these leaders have played very crucial role in the rise of anamalai the responsibilities that he has got in Tamil Nad whether it is BL kto home minister home minister amit Sha.

[00:08:41]>> Yes.

[00:08:44]>> Yes. So, yeah.

[00:08:46]>> Go on. Go on.

[00:08:46]>> I'm sure you can hear me.

[00:08:47]>> Yes.

[00:08:48]>> Yeah. Yeah. So, these leaders have played uh you know huge role in in Tanamalai's career there in in Tamil Nad. That's what that's that's why of course it was important on his part also to meet them personally and convey them what he feels and you know what he wants to do in the future and that's why you see that he is meeting all these people.

[00:09:11]Uh of course BDP chief plays a very very crucial role here. So you'll have to go through that step you'll have >> all right there seems to be an audio connection with Arun. Let me just go across to Punima Moodli on this Punima.

[00:09:28]Of course, there have been a lot. All right. I'm now joined by journalist Raj Gopal and many thanks Mr. Raj Gopalan for joining with us. You know there are a lot of talks about how this is a farewell meeting of Anamalai. What are you picking up? Because you have sources within BJP also. Is there actually any chance of actually stopping Anamalai from leaving the party?

[00:09:49]>> Anamalai will not be stopped. He's a tall leader in Tamil Nadu. He has been you know helping BJP to grow the organization but at the same time he was against almost all the top leaders of state unit of the BJP including Nagendra and including and my point is Mr. Anam has to have one national leadership or state leadership.

[00:10:12]He cannot be doing a two things at a time. Diabolical attitude. Second thing is he a Frenchman of BMP now to you know ensure that BJP is collapsing in Tamil Nadu. Does he want that Narendra Modi name to be talking in Tamil Nadu? These are all questions. If he resigns no one will take care of him you know because he was protected and proposed by BJP leadership. Mr. Narendra Modi gave him lot of space for him. He was you know made as his state chief for three years he was that what did he do for three years he sent out everyone those who are all colleagues of BJP in Tamil with him there are two ministers in with his cabinet now sitting who was in BJP who was in state why did Mr. I'm going to throw him out because he was also the war room. The war room tactics were phenomenal. They threw out all the top leaders of BJP that is why they are angry as your correspondent in Chennai said that the state is against him. Therefore his meeting is nothing to do with his leading suppose if you want to resign you going to tell the leadership that he's insigning and supporting the party. What is the diabolical one? He says Raja was not needed for him. He was not even offered.

[00:11:29]Why should he project himself as a hero?

[00:11:31]And second thing he has every right to contest and everything but my understanding of he is the front man of DMC. DMK cannot take on Mr. Siri head on. Now they have protected him and he is going to spoil the BJP.

[00:11:48]>> But Mr. Mr. Raj Gopalan let's quickly do a bit of a rewind over here. Remember in 2024 when the padyatra had concluded back in February, we remember that Prime Minister Modi had taken out that specific you know time on stage to actually thank Anamalai. Such was the contribution of Anamalai that he built on the grassroot connect for the Bhartya Jantaa party in Tamil Nad. And then for a man like that to be removed from that post of say as a BJP president which many of you critics like you will sort of agree upon that it was just a strategic decision. You have many others within the BJP in Tamil Nad like Tamil Sai Sar Rajan who have stuck around but then to be given a miss from the central leadership strategy uh in the buildup to the elections to go ahead with an alliance that he had predicted would already end up in a failure. Do you not think that the be it's also a moment of introspection for the Bharti Jantaa party?

[00:12:50]>> Madam he was not removed for his information. You are wrong. He had three years 10th and fourth year every state unit president has been removed in third year surya sharma see these all top leaders BJP gave him that type of status from he himself you know he threw out everyone all his friends those who built up BJP in coming they were all thrown out and he wanted to occupy the position and he was echoing the you know contradictions that he was Not madam. He failed three full years.

[00:13:25]>> No, I agree. He surrendered and and that was also a sacrifice he made for the sake of the party. Right.

[00:13:31]>> Of course he did. Prime Minister he did for BJP not for himself. My point is BJP is given BJP gave him all benefits. But he built himself not the organization you know you are an organizer. You have to build up the tell me because of the organization capacity to not miss another so is a double top person and I see he's the front man of DMK. All right, that's that's in fact a very um that's a serious allegation if you do call him to be say a plan B for the DMK. But we'll have to see where this is headed. Uh how both will in fact survive because so far it did seem like a symbiotic relationship between the BJP and Anamalai but thoroughly appreciate and respect your point of view as well Mr. Raj Gopalan. Let me quickly on that note go back to Pura and Arun who continue to stay with us. Uh so Arun to get back to the basics right now if you can quickly take us through what is the day looking like uh given he's slated to be meeting the central party leadership today.

[00:14:40]>> Well see we've been discussing about Anamalai's visit to Delhi and he has already met the likes of Bir Santosh BJP's national general secretary organization. He has also met BJP chief Nitin Nabin this morning and that's the process like and he's of course following that process because he will of course be offering his resignation to the BJP president and that happened of course post meeting BL Santosh and now what he is he's looking forward for is a meeting with home minister Amitaba we've been discussing about him that the kind of confidence which was shown on him by the top ranks of the BJ JP which is including of course prime minister Modi and the foreign minister Amit Sha. It was of course their assurance with which he you know resigned from that post of IPS and then joined Bharatya Janata party and there were multiple occasions when prime minister and home minister have spoken very highly about Anamalai and he was of course seen as a leader of the BJP in Tamil Nad who can really take the party forward as Purima was also highlighting and that is right because there were leaders of the BJP in the state who are very old-timers come from RSS so on and so forth they were not happy with the elevation of Anamalai the way he was uh he was brought into the party and then pretty soon made the party chief there and there are few people whom you see you know who left BJP and now in in in in the in the party of TVK some of them are ministers there but of course Anamari has a very clear plan he knew how to take the party forward and probably that's the reason why he took very hard decisions really decided lining those leaders who were old-timers in the BJP. But somehow probably BJP has also realized that it did not click you know and that's the reason why they are not really you know trying to plate Anamalai to stay because Anamalai has already decided what he wants to do in the future and this is of course merely a courtesy meet a farewell blessings that he's going to seek from all the top leaders and that's how it happens in in in in the in BJP nobody of course wants to go on that on that acre monious or a bad note from the party and that's the reason where you see we don't know whether he'll be able to meet home minister Amit Sha or not but on his front that's what we going to understand he's trying to >> we will keep coming back to you Arun and Punima given it's a very significant and crucial day for the Bhhaty Jantaa party and for Namallay as well we'll have to see how that meeting actually ends