Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai has strongly hit out at Electricity Minister V Senthilbalaji, asserting that the state BJP will not be intimidated by the minister’s threats. Annamalai, speaking to the media in Coimbatore, said that instead of answering the questions raised, Senthilbalaji was attempting to threaten those who dared to ask. He challenged the minister to file a case if he had the courage, adding that he was not afraid of such threats.
Annamalai referred to Senthilbalaji as the “bail minister,” mocking the minister’s year-long legal troubles related to the cash-for-job scam. He mockingly said, “After spending over a year in prison and being repeatedly denied bail for many times, his own brother is now in absconding in a state where they rule. He is a minister, an oath-bound minister, his own brother is wanted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and the responsibility for his arrest lies with the Tamil Nadu police. However, the Chief Minister, who controls the police in Coimbatore, says ‘the best minister among the 35 ministers, including his own son is him’. Meanwhile, his brother is accused in an ED case and remains absconding. Everyone knows where he is in Tamil Nadu—if you go to Karur today, we could easily snatch him at night and bring him by morning, but the police will not arrest him. Now, tell me, without calling him ‘Bail Minister,’ what else should I call him?”
He also referenced the Supreme Court’s concerns, which, upon granting bail, immediately questioned why the DMK government appointed him to a ministerial position. The court feared this could lead to the destruction of evidence. Given this, Annamalai argued that calling him the “bail minister” was entirely justified.
Annamalai accused Senthilbalaji of being envious and failing to answer the important question regarding the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) payments to the Adani Group. Annamalai pointed out that Senthilbalaji’s repeated claims that the DMK government had no dealings with Adani were misleading, especially when financial reports revealed that the TNEB had been paying higher rates for electricity from Adani, despite the minister’s assertions of lower rates.
The BJP leader also criticized Senthilbalaji for his defensive response to questions about the Adani affair. In a statement, the minister had tried to downplay the issue by claiming that the higher prices were due to an agreement signed under the previous AIADMK government, and that the case was still pending in the Supreme Court. Annamalai rejected this explanation, accusing the minister of trying to conceal the truth and avoid accountability.
Annamalai went on to challenge the minister’s ability to follow through on his threats. He sarcastically asked if Senthilbalaji was “born to the right father and mother” to dare file a case against him. He also mocked the minister’s close ties to Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, suggesting that Senthilbalaji could easily use his influence to have the police file a case if he truly wanted to.
Annamalai said, “My fate is such that someone who has been to jail in the ED case file a case against me and get an FIR registered. Isn’t that so? Someone who spent a whole year in jail. And now, (he’s claiming) that I studied alone at Oxford University. Have I ever said I studied alone at Oxford? Would Oxford even offer solo classes? I went there as part of a group. He says he knows the ‘secrets’ of the 11 members who went with me. Go do a simple search in website on the very first day the Chevening gurukul has posted all the details of the 11 members, along with their photos. Even in the FCDO office it is all there, is this an invention? Do we need a minister for that? that’s why I am saying, when I was studying at Oxford, the minister was also studying… but where? In Puzhal Jail, learning to count bars. I was studying in London, while he was studying on other hand. So, it’s not surprising that a failed student would feel envious of a successful one. In our town, that’s quite common. The ‘jail-counting’ minister is clearly envious of me.”
He then challenged, “If you dare, file a case against me, go ahead. If you’re truly born to the right father and mother, then put a case on me, and let’s see. I’m asking this very clearly because I want to see a change in Tamil Nadu politics. Has my politics become that bad for a ‘jail minister’ telling me? If you dare, go ahead and do it. The police are with you, go ahead. The Chief Minister is your close friend, you even say ‘You are like a son to him’ —so do it.”
Out on bail Minister Senthil Balaji taken to cleaners by Thalaivar @annamalai_k 😄 pic.twitter.com/AcpKvCJHhv
— Krishna Kumar Murugan (@ikkmurugan) December 8, 2024
Annamalai concluded by asserting that he was not afraid of threats and was committed to fighting for justice. He emphasized that his entry into politics was to hold the government accountable, not to be intimidated by its members. He made it clear that he would not back down and continue challenging the DMK on corruption and governance issues.
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