Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai turns 39 today. Incidentally, his birthdate falls on the very next day of late DMK patriarch Karunanidhi’s birthday, which makes us truly believe that he is a Godsend for whatever good things are to happen for Tamil Nadu.
In politics for less than 30 months, Annamalai is already a Tamil youth icon with his firebrand persona. He has trebled BJP’s votebank in the local body polls, rattled the Dravidian ecosystem, established BJP as the primary anti-DMK force and rekindled Tamil Nadu’s dormant Hindu consciousness after 60 years.
As the party marches towards the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, here are the key signs of how things have changed post Annamalai’s ascension as BJP Tamil Nadu President.
1. Anti-DMKism
Both MGR and Jayalalithaa became mass leaders as anti-DMK icons. Annamalai’s zero compromise approach towards the ruling first family and attacking core Dravidian ideology has outshined current AIADMK, which has more or less become DMK lite. He is now viewed in mainstream as the primary anti-DMK voice of Tamil Nadu.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu BJP faced identity crisis caught between Hindutva and Dravidian alliances. Annamalai in his relentless anti-Dravidian crusade has altered Tamil Nadu landscape from 2 Dravidian party match-fixing to Nationalism vs Dravidam, slowly replacing AIADMK as primary opposition.
2. Hindu Causes
Be it openly calling out state-sponsored evangelical activities or throwing his might behind Hindu causes, Annamalai has become the voice against DMK’s anti-Hindu politivs. Annamalai’s efforts on establishing rights of Hindu mutts, rallying against evangelical conversion, protecting Temple administration from state interference has given spiritual institutions of Tamil Nadu a voice generating visible Hindu conscious for the first time in decades.
3. Party Culture
Annamalai’s biggest win has been ushering in a fresh zeal of energy and enthusiasm in Tamil Nadu BJP. For 3 decades, it stagnated as 2% party with identity crisis and paucity of a strong face. In 2 years, he has revitalized it with massive injection of youth and capable people. It’s a party reborn now.
4. Setting The Narrative
8 out of 10 days in Tamil Nadu politics, Annamalai is the one setting the political agenda of the state. A 24×7 politician like PM Modi with aggressive attack on every little space DMK cedes. This relentless approach has reset the perception of BJP among Tamils.
5. Anti-Corruption
Corruption has been mainstreamed so badly in the state that it virtually became electoral non-issue. Post Annamalai, DMK’s scientific corruption is being exposed day in and day out. From BGR energy scam, sweets box scam, Aavin milk scam to DMK Files, IT raids on first family, and forcing PTR’s removal as Finance Minister, he crusade against Dravidian corruption is yielding results.
6. Personality Cult
Tamil Nadu is leader oriented with mass hero worship and voter loyalty once established lasting decades. An organic cult of personality for Annamalai is strong among Tamil youth. It will be further solidified in his upcoming 6 month Yatra across the 234 assembly seats of Tamil Nadu. Just like how Karunanidhi, Jayalalithaa and MGR were perceived as caste neutral (having an appeal beyond one’s own community), Annamalai too enjoys the same privilege as he is being seen as caste-neutral as pan-Tamil leader beyond caste/region. His humble origins and clean image resonates goodwill from all communities.
7. Electoral Performance
For 30 years BJP had average vote share of 2.3% in the state of Tamil Nadu. Within a year of taking over, Annamalai trebled BJP vote from to 8% contested average statewide in March 2022. Currently opinion polls show Tamil Nadu BJP as 10-15% party and will only grow in a Modi-centric 2024 election.
8. Age Factor
There is literally no one below 55 to challenge DMK here. AIADMK leaders are in mid 60s. Seeman and Anbumani in mid 50s, although Seeman has been able to capture the minds of rural youth in the state. Annamalai at 39 stands unique, already the most popular face among under 35 voters and has the magnetic power to pull youth towards him with his rational and logical arguments.
9. Tackling Dravidian Media
A key achievement of Annamalai’s reign is exposing vested interests of Tamil Nadu media. His press interactions are big hits and moved BJP from perpetual defense to offense mode. We remember Modi vs hostile media in 2002-14. That’s what he faces and he is winning.
10. Self-Made Clean Leader
Tamil Nadu politics is dominated by illegitimate wealth and dynasts. A farmer’s son reaching heights of IIM and IPS contrasts visibly for the public with the insanely rich AIADMK heads & DMK family scions.
A self-made leader with incorruptible image is waging war against the corrupt & Hinduphobic 100 year Dravidian ecosystem.
He has achieved all this in 30 months of politics and at just 39, he is destined to lead for a very long time. Tamil Nadu and BJP have struck gold with Annamalai.
(This article is based on Cogito’s thread on the same topic.)
Cogito is a psephology buff and writes of politics, religion and elections.
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