I have insisted several times that Tamil Nadu was and still is one of the most spiritually inclined states in India. But this innate spirituality has been derailed consistently through concerted efforts right from the days of the EVR-led Dravidian movement and the subsequent DMK governments.
The Dravidian movement also created the North-South divide through the bogus Aryan-Dravidian theory what has been debunked umpteen times.
When the very base of the state has been shaken for decades, we need a permanent solution to address this issue.
Earlier, people saw ADMK as an alternative especially till Ms. Jayalalithaa was alive. That situation has changed drastically. Is this the best time for BJP to grow and rise to power in Tamil Nadu in 2026? Yes I believe so.
Why BJP And Why Not other parties?
I have always yearned for an alternate brand of politics in Tamil Nadu. Unfortunately after AIADMK was formed in 1972, power has shuffled between DMK and AIADMK all the time. The only three occasions where there was a possibility of having a non-Dravidian party capturing power was in 1989 (Congress unwilling to align with Ms. Janaki’s faction), 1996 (Mr. Rao unwilling to go alone despite support from Mr. Rajinikanth) and 2021 (Rajinikanth backing out of politics).
2026 presents a tremendous opportunity to break the jinx. I don’t see anything other party capable to providing an alternative to the Dravidian parties other than BJP, especially from a spirituality standpoint, which is very close to my heart.
Today’s BJP is not the same BJP we saw few years back. Ever since Mr. Annamalai took over as the State President, there is no doubt that the part has revigorated under his leadership. The resounding reception his yatra is receiving and the natural and organic support he has garnered on the ground are testaments to the remarkable growth of the party in Tamil Nadu.
We should not forget the contributions of Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan who laid the foundation for this growth (Do read this on Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan that I wrote).
Benefits Of Having a BJP Government In Tamil Nadu
PM Modi’s victory in 2024 is a foregone conclusion. With BJP continuing at the Centre, it would only be pragmatic to have a BJP government in the state as well. This will lead to more projects, more infrastructure developments, more jobs, more GDP and overall development of the state. Eventually, when BJP forms a government in Karnataka it will be very easy to have discussions and consultations on issues such as Cauvery. I strongly believe, a BJP government will provide the alternate brand of politics which I have been longing for, for an inordinate time. Corruption will also be contained significantly when a brand-new party and a brand-new leader takes over.
Who Should Be The Face Of BJP And The CM Candidate?
Natural choice is Annamalai for the following reasons. He brings in a fresh face when the electorate is fatigued with the existing options. He is very young, bold and daring, traits which I saw in JJ, a person I had immense admiration for. He can read, write and speak fluently in both Tamil and English. His articulation skills have been commendable so far even on sensitive issues.
Just like PM Modi, Annamalai is from a lesser privileged caste so you can expect him to be intolerant to caste atrocities against the downtrodden as opposed to caste-based domination by DMK leaders. This way BJP can really be a social justice party. He has unalloyed support and backing of PM Modi and hence coordination between the PM and the CM will be very smooth. He is a Tamil and you can expect genuine concern for Tamils and Tamil Nadu from him. Even though not significant as a voting bloc, Annamalai has the backing of majority of the Brahmins in Tamil Nadu.
What Should BJP Do To Come To Power?
For BJP to rise to power and Annamalai to become the CM of Tamil Nadu, supporters and cadres of BJP should understand and do the following after 2024 elections are over!
Setting Up Infrastructure
BJP must understand yatras are as good as conferences. They don’t fetch you 30% votes. You need minimum 30% votes to come to power. In a four-corner fight, BJP can capture power with 30% votes like how MGR did in 1977. Get PM Modi to travel to Tamil Nadu as frequently as possible and campaign in the run up to the 2026 elections. If you recall, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi campaigned extensively making multiple campaign visits to Tamil Nadu in 1989. Build the party infrastructure with aggression. You can learn from Mr. Rajinikanth and how he did it in 2-3 years where 80% was completed. Right now BJP doesn’t have an infrastructure in place except for certain pockets like Coimbatore and Kanya Kumari. Get the booth committees appointed and keep them engaged in some or the other activity at the local level. There are 65000+ election booths in Tamil Nadu. Take the achievements of PM Modi to every nook and corner of Tamil Nadu and what kind of alternate politics BJP will provide!
Go It Alone From Now On
Now that the AIADMK has exited from the BJP-led NDA, don’t look back. Contest alone, don’t ever compromise. If possible lead a front (without corrupt and casteist parties) as an alternative to DMK and AIADMK. Never go as a junior partner in any alliance. Have one party worker every street talking to people about day-today issues. Take up solid issues and keep raking them everywhere.
Don’t Antagonize Minorities
Even though the PM Modi-led BJP government has not spoken ill or discriminated against the minority community, an image has been formed that the BJP is a saffron party. We can defeat about the preconceived notions of people by only reaching out to them. Minorities are very vigilant and they create powerful narratives. Most importantly, they have a decentralized system and delegate powers. They are currently voting en-masse to DMK-Congress. That needs to broken.
What Will Be The Role Of NTK In The State?
While I don’t see eye to eyes with NTK and Mr. Seeman on issues the border on Tamil extremism such as his support for the notorious Veerappan, LTTE taking center stage in his campaigns, I must admit I have a soft corner for that party. I feel if Seeman can tone down his Tamil rhetoric he can position himself to challenge Annamalai. His party’s election manifestos have been one of the best that the country has ever seen. He has experimented some unique ideas like giving 50% seats to women. The truth is that BJP and NTK are the only two parties that have strong ideologies in Tamil Nadu today.
In the long run when the two Dravidian parties wither off, I would like to see a BJP Vs NTK battle in the state. Seeman can become the opposition leader with Annamalai being the CM. They both have mutual admiration for each other and we can expect decent politics.
Conclusion
2026 is definitely going to witness a watershed election and presents a great and rare opportunity for BJP to form a government in Tamil Nadu. With Annamalai’s growth through his Yatra and solid backing from PM Modi, there is hope for a change in Tamil Nadu in the coming years. Even bitter critics like ‘Savukku’ Shankar have admitted that Annamalai is a leader material and youth would like him more in comparison to someone like Udhayanidhi. Right now, the focus should be on making Tamil Nadu contribute in PM Modi’s victory.
Vaazhga Tamil Nadu! Valarga Bharatham! Jai Hind!
Dr. Praveen Kumar is a clinician-turned-scientist who is passionate about writing on current affairs.
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