Nainar says Annamalai’s exit will not dent BJP, Congress MP says its RSS ploy

Chennai: BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran said that former state president K Annamalai’s resignation from BJP and his new political movement would not dent the prospects of the saffron party in Tamil Nadu.

``There will not be any impact on BJP,’’ Nainar told reporters. ``BJP is a party rooted in ideology. So the party will not suffer because of exit of Annamalai,’’ he said. ``Everybody has the right to launch a political party,’’ he said.

Nainar chose not to respond to the charges levelled by Annamalai against BJP. However, he said BJP has always been fighting for the welfare of people across India. ``It is wrong to say BJP did not prioritise issued faced by Tamil Nadu,’’ he said. He said Prime minister Narendra Modi has been speaking about the virtues of Tamil language wherever he visited.

Neither DMK president M K Stalin nor leader of opposition in assembly Udhayanidhi reacted to the development. But DMK deputy general secretary A Raja gave a terse reply when reporters sought his reaction. ``My wished to him,’’ he said.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore questioned whether this was a political ploy by RSS – BJP since they failed to gain a foothold in Tamil Nadu. ``A new mask, with the blessings of Amit Shah and Modi,’’ he said in a statement on X. ``Is this Plan B. RSS is behind it,’’ he said without naming Annamalai.