BJP will win double digits in Tamil Nadu, says Annamalai

Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha election: Annamalai claims that the DMK and AIADMK have distributed money to voters.

Tamil Nadu’s BJP president, K Annamalai, said the state has a special place in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s heart.

In an exclusive interview with CNN News18, Annamalai said the PM has always appreciated the party’s state unit.

“The PM has been very kind to us...He has given time to us. Whenever we have called him, the PM has responded and visited us,” said the BJP leader.

Speaking about DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran's “joker” remarks against him, Annamalai said, “World's greatest leader (PM Modi) has given a reply...I am only a small man.’

According to him, the party will perform well in the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. “June 4 will send a message...Tamil Nadu will accept BJP... We will win in Coimbatore ... I am very confident,” he said. He also predicted that the BJP would get double digits in the state and its vote share will cross 35 per cent.

Annamalai claimed that the DMK and AIADMK have distributed money to voters while the BJP has been running a “clean campaign”. “I have never campaigned after 10 pm. The EC guidelines are clear. You cannot use the microphone after 10 pm,” he said.

He also said the BJP wants to show people that “positive politics can happen in Tamil Nadu”. “In 2019, when the AIADMK was with us, we could not campaign freely because it had the bigger share. This is a breath of fresh air for BJP in Tamil Nadu,” Annamalai told CNN News18. Annamalai also said he would never do “caste politics”.

He alleged that leaders such as Udayanidhi Stalin, who were born with a golden spoon, spoke ill of PM Modi. “In 2014, Modiji was an Indian leader but now in 2024 he is a world leader,” said the BJP leader.

He also advised first-time voters to elect a party that matches their attitude and has a greater vision.