Annamalai sacks Saravanan as Madurai chief

MADURAI: BJP’s Madurai district president P Saravanan was expelled from the party for adopting anti-party stand, said BJP State president K Annamalai on Sunday.

Talking to reporters after taking part in the Independence Day celebrations with fishermen at Rameswaram, Annamalai denied Saravanan’s allegation that the BJP was acting against the interests of minorities. According to him, BJP is a peace-loving party which does not indulge in any unlawful activity. “It is his wish to join any party; let him be well wherever he goes,” he said.

Referring to the incident where slipper was hurled at Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan’s vehicle near Madurai airport on Saturday, Annamalai said it attracted unwanted attention.

He claimed he was not aware of the incident when he came to the airport to pay homage to Army jawan D Lakshmanan who died in Kashmir.

A crowd of 800 BJP cadre that had gathered there got emotional, he said, also blaming the DMK leader for using offensive words against them.

PTR’s words and action would be brought to the attention of the people, Annamalai added.

Earlier, he joined party cadre and fishermen on a fishing boat to celebrate the Independence Day at sea after sailing off Rameswaram coast.