Four more from BJP join AIADMK; Annamalai warns of reverse poaching

CHENNAI: Hours after four state BJP unit functionaries joined the AIADMK, state president of the saffron party K Annamalai lashed out at his alliance party for “poaching” second and third level leaders of BJP party for the growth of the Dravidian party that ruled the state for several years.

“I’m very happy that a former CM (Edappadi K Palaniswami) wants to take second, third, fourth and fifth level functionaries from BJP. It shows the BJP has arrived in Tamil Nadu and seen growth to the level that the Dravidian party want leaders from our party for their party’s growth,” Annamalai told reporters at Chennai airport.

Following the sarcastic remark of Annamalai, the AIADMK and BJP functionaries locked horns on the social media and even resorted to pasting posters against EPS in districts.

AIADMK’s IT wing leader Singai Ramachandran rebutted Annamalai by tweeting, “The answer (to Annamalai) is that the BJP that got less than NOTA won MLA seats in 2021! To cover up the exodus of his party functionaries, he is claiming that AIADMK needs BJP cadre to grow. It is a joke,” he tweeted, while several other functionaries slammed the saffron party and ridiculed it as “NOTA” party.

In a veiled threat to EPS and his party, Annamalai quoted Newton’s third law that any action would be countered by a reaction of equal and opposite reaction.

“If I decided to go on shopping (poaching), it would be a big one. I will decide on the time and venue (poaching),” he said.

He also refuted the charges levelled by Nirmal Kumar and others that Annamalai was snooping on the party functionaries and acting as per his wish and fancy without considering the party’s interest, the former IPS officer-turned-politician said, “Annamalai will act like a leader. I am also a leader like Jayalalithaa and Kalaignar. It is obvious when a leader takes a call, it will offend somebody. We cannot please everyone. I am here to develop the party and I will take the call as a state president. I am not here to make idli or dosa. I will step up my game and go on full throttle in the days to achieve the goal of forming our government in TN.”

Several AIADMK leaders preferred to ignore him, saying that he was an “immature” and “unfit” politician.