<p>Chennai: K Annamalai, the former Tamil Nadu BJP chief, who confronted the Dravidian parties for about four years, appears to be upset with the saffron party.</p>.<p>His recent 15-minute media interaction in Coimbatore, during which he asserted that no one can put a gun to a person’s head and force them to remain in a party, and raised several questions could point to internal tensions within both the BJP and NDA in Tamil Nadu.</p>.<p>While the BJP can take comfort in Annamalai ruling out the possibility of launching his own party contrary to local media speculation, Annamalai clearly voiced his displeasure regarding the state unit's activities under its new leader, Nainar Nagenthiran, though he did not mention him by name.</p>.<p>“I will speak at an appropriate time. I joined politics inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and I spent my own money to be in politics… If I enjoy being in politics, I will stay; if not, I will quit and focus on farming,” Annamalai said on Friday.</p>.<p>“No one can force a person to remain in a party at gunpoint,” he said, adding that he remained quiet as he gave his word to Union Home Minister Amit Shah not to criticise the alliance in public.</p>.K Annamalai fires back at Pinarayi Vijayan over Sabarimala conclave, accuses CPM of hypocrisy.<p>Annamalai has also objected to the party’s treatment of TTV Dhinakaran and O Panneerselvam, which led to their exit from the NDA.</p>.<p>BJP insiders told DH that Annamalai feels that the NDA in Tamil Nadu is 'clueless' vis-à-vis facing the DMK in the assembly polls next year, and that could be the reason for his latest remarks.</p>.<p>Under Annamalai, the party set narratives against the DMK government and put the ruling party on the defensive through his offensive. But now, the BJP and even the AIADMK are struggling to put the DMK on the mat despite numerous issues and complaints against the government. This will obviously disappoint him, a party insider said.</p>.<p>It is an open secret that Annamalai has opposed the BJP aligning with the AIADMK as he believes that the party should chart its own course in Tamil Nadu. However, he came around and accepted the AIADMK-BJP alliance and even endorsed AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami as the chief ministerial candidate of the NDA, the sources added.</p>
<p>Chennai: K Annamalai, the former Tamil Nadu BJP chief, who confronted the Dravidian parties for about four years, appears to be upset with the saffron party.</p>.<p>His recent 15-minute media interaction in Coimbatore, during which he asserted that no one can put a gun to a person’s head and force them to remain in a party, and raised several questions could point to internal tensions within both the BJP and NDA in Tamil Nadu.</p>.<p>While the BJP can take comfort in Annamalai ruling out the possibility of launching his own party contrary to local media speculation, Annamalai clearly voiced his displeasure regarding the state unit's activities under its new leader, Nainar Nagenthiran, though he did not mention him by name.</p>.<p>“I will speak at an appropriate time. I joined politics inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and I spent my own money to be in politics… If I enjoy being in politics, I will stay; if not, I will quit and focus on farming,” Annamalai said on Friday.</p>.<p>“No one can force a person to remain in a party at gunpoint,” he said, adding that he remained quiet as he gave his word to Union Home Minister Amit Shah not to criticise the alliance in public.</p>.K Annamalai fires back at Pinarayi Vijayan over Sabarimala conclave, accuses CPM of hypocrisy.<p>Annamalai has also objected to the party’s treatment of TTV Dhinakaran and O Panneerselvam, which led to their exit from the NDA.</p>.<p>BJP insiders told DH that Annamalai feels that the NDA in Tamil Nadu is 'clueless' vis-à-vis facing the DMK in the assembly polls next year, and that could be the reason for his latest remarks.</p>.<p>Under Annamalai, the party set narratives against the DMK government and put the ruling party on the defensive through his offensive. But now, the BJP and even the AIADMK are struggling to put the DMK on the mat despite numerous issues and complaints against the government. This will obviously disappoint him, a party insider said.</p>.<p>It is an open secret that Annamalai has opposed the BJP aligning with the AIADMK as he believes that the party should chart its own course in Tamil Nadu. However, he came around and accepted the AIADMK-BJP alliance and even endorsed AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami as the chief ministerial candidate of the NDA, the sources added.</p>