You’ll never wear footwear in Dravidian land, Minister Senthilbalaji tells BJP leader Annamalai

CHENNAI: Taking a swipe at BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai over his vow not to wear footwear till the DMK regime in power was overthrown, Electricity Minister and DMK leader V Senthilbalaji said Annamalai would never get a chance to wear footwear in the Dravidian land.

According to a Thanthi TV report, the minister was speaking at an event in Coimbatore when he mocked Annamalai’s public act of whipping himself. “Annamalai whipped himself six times in front of the public, recorded it and released the video. He whipped himself before the public would do the same to him,” said Senthilbalaji.

Speaking about Annamalai’s vow not to wear footwear till the State-ruling DMK regime is packed off, he said, “He (Annamalai) should be more careful before taking such vows. I’m telling this now, he’ll never wear sandals in the Dravidian land for the rest of his life.”

Replying to the minister's comments, Annamalai said, “I only said I’ll never wear footwear; I didn’t go to jail (referring to Senthilbalaji being in jail as an undertrial in connection with a job scam case).”

Last December, Annamalai said he would not wear footwear and walk barefoot until the DMK regime was dislodged. He also lashed himself six times with a whip on December 27, apparently to draw people's attention to the sexual assault of an Anna University student.

Incidentally, Senthilbalaji was the DMK weapon of choice against Annamalai. The latter had contested the last Assembly election from Karur, the minister’s home ground, but could not make a mark.