Annamalai Meets Tamilisai Amid Rift Rumours Following BJP’s Rout From Tamil Nadu In LS Polls

Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai on Friday visited party leader Tamilisai Soundararajan in Chennai and said her political experience is providing impetus for the party’s growth.

After calling on Soundararajan at her residence, Annamalai, in a post on X, said he was extremely happy in visiting ‘Akka Tamilisai’, a senior leader who functioned efficiently as the party’s Tamil Nadu unit chief.

Asserting that the lotus will surely bloom in Tamil Nadu, Soundararajan worked hard for it, her political experience and suggestions continue to give inspiration for the development of the party, Annamalai added.

In a post on X, Soundararajan said, “She was happy to meet BJP Tamil Nadu President K Annamalai.”

Annamalai’s visit comes days after a war of words between supporters of Soundararajan and the Saffron party’s state unit chief in social media following BJP’s electoral drubbing in Tamil Nadu.

Also, senior leader and Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to her during the swearing-in ceremony of N Chandrababu Naidu as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister. A video clip of their conversation became a political talking point.

Putting speculation to rest over the controversy surrounding a viral video of her interaction with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah, Soundararajan said, “Yesterday as I met our Honorable Home Minister Sri @AmitShah ji in AP for the first time after the 2024 elections he called me to ask about post poll follow-up and the challenges faced.

“As I was elaborating, due to paucity of time with utmost concern, he advised me to carry out the political and constituency work intensively which was reassuring. This is to clarify all unwarranted speculations,” she said.

Soundararajan contested from the South Chennai Lok Sabha seat. She lost the election to DMK’s Tamizhachi Thangapandian.

Her alleged comments on “criminal elements” in the BJP and that “the party would have won had there been an alliance with the AIADMK” were among the triggering factors. Annamalai’s supporters opposed such remarks and hit out at her, using memes as well in social media, for jumping the gun.

Annamalai himself had pointed to the possibility of a win for the opposition in Tamil Nadu (AIADMK, BJP) in a number of constituencies if the votes of Saffron party and that of the AIADMK were added up, which showed that the winner had scored less than the opposition’s combined score. However, he did not appear to have favoured an alliance with the AIADMK.

Subsequently, AIADMK leader SP Velumani too had spoken on the probability of victory in a number of seats had there been an alliance with the BJP. Later, AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami had again ruled out the scope for an alliance with the national party.

(With inputs from PTI)