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“TASMAC Is The Root Of Political Corruption”: TN BJP Head Annamalai Enlists His Vision For Tamil Nadu

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The Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party Thinker Cell led by Advocate Shelvi Dhamodaran was held at Krishna Gana Sabha, T Nagar, Chennai on 17 February 2024. The speakers for the event were senior journalist Thuglak Ramesh, political commentator and analyst Kolahalas Srinivas and the chief guest being TN BJP chief K Annamalai. This event was organised as a part of the public outreach programme to reach out to professionals to ensure Prime Minister Modi comes back to power at the centre for a record third time. 

The event was not advertised but select professionals were invited to be a part of the discussion to help spread the word as the Parliamentary elections come near. Thuglak Ramesh and Kolahalas Srinivas spoke about the various achievements of the Modi regime and why it was imperative for the people of the state especially to ensure that anti-Hindu Dravidianist ideology be shown the door. 

TN BJP leader Vinoj Selvam and SG Suryah were also a part of the gathering as the public heard Vinoj speak about how Modi was bringing to an end dynastic politics. 

Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party President K Annamalai responded to a few (important) questions the professionals had for him. Addressing a packed audience, Annamalai was asked questions on 3 major/pressing issues. These questions were put forth during the registration process and were collated by the TN BJP Thinkers Cell team. 

The team had to parse through over 1500 registrations and as many as 1650 questions were asked of Annamalai. The team did a fitting job to present a few of them before Annamalai who was rushing to Delhi for the BJP National Convention meeting. The Himalayan task of collating all the questions and putting them under specific topics was handled fantastically by the team. Among the team, those who helped accomplish this task were S Sundar Raman, a Chartered Accountant and the Vice President of BJP Tamil Nadu’s Thinker’s Cell, emcee Ms Jayanti Iyengar (who also did a fantastic job with the compering) and Shravan, a young chartered accountant who put forth the questions to Annamalai.

The four main topics covered were – these were the most popular questions (over 10% of the total) everyone had for the BJP state president – how ordinary people can do their bit to ensure Modi 3.0, clarity on Annamalai’s (TN BJP) promise to remove the HR&CE ministry as soon as BJP came to power in the state, how the state can manage the revenue if TASMAC (as promised by Annamalai/TN BJP) is removed, and what can be done about the cash for votes. 

Beginning his address, Annamalai termed the “north-south divide” issue a dead topic that the DMK had used in the 60s and shoved into a corner only to be brought back in the 21st century as the party did not have any other issue to counter the corruption-free Narendra Modi regime. 

Answering the first question, Annamalai summarised how professionals who could not enter politics but had access to people on the ground could do their bit. He enlisted points – mobilising people to vote, encouraging people to vote, and forming an opinion to ensure a stable and progressive government is formed at the centre. 

Coming to the second question on HR & CE, Annamalai explained that the intent behind stating that if BJP came to power in the state, the first signature would be to remove the HR & CE ministry. Annamalai shared the policy guidelines that he had in mind. He asserted that the community will be the ones who will have control of specific temples that are important to them. He pointed out the incorrect functioning of the HR & CE department and how the dept was interfering unnecessarily in temple affairs. He also stated that the government will be a dispute resolution authority in temples. He also added that the temple revenue can also be used to help the development of the town where the temple is located.

Address the third question on TASMAC removal that came from a majority of healthcare professionals, Annamalai said while the total removal will not be possible in the first year itself – he spoke of a graded approach to reduce and establish rehab centres as necessary and also spoke about uplifting the toddy industry. He also spoke of how temple tourism in Tamil Nadu can also add to the state revenue akin to Ayodhya Ram Mandir which he called the “most powerful startup”. Annamalai also said that a 350-page white paper was published by the BJP on a TASMAC-free model for Tamil Nadu which states that Rs 1 lakh five thousand crores can be generated with local products alone without liquor. He also said, “TASMAC is the root of political corruption”. He added that “if TASMAC is shut down, the state will be ruined” is the single biggest white lie.  

Answering the fourth question, Annamalai said people had to indulge in cash for votes because there was no alternative. He also predicted that the upcoming elections would be the start of something different, that the elections would be ground-changing from his padayatra experience. Tamil Nadu will show a sea change in the political arena. He also stated that in 2026, the state will see its first coalition government. 

Annamalai predicted that the 2026 election would be issue-based and pointed out that the Dravidian parties were not ready to discuss and fight elections on the issues that matter. 

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