Zoho’s chief scientist Sridhar Vembu has said the BJP should be prepared for a long-term political struggle in Tamil Nadu, arguing that rival parties portray the party as a “bogey” to prevent it from emerging as a serious competitor.
In a statement, Vembu recalled a childhood anecdote about being warned away from a pond by being told a ghost lived in a nearby tree, and said Tamil Nadu’s political parties similarly project the BJP in power at the Centre as something to be feared. He claimed the DMK has relied heavily on anti-Modi messaging, and alleged that the AIADMK under Edappadi K. Palaniswami would have taken a similar line, calling it more apt to label it “Edappadi DMK.”
Vembu said parties in Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry that are allied with the BJP are in power and making progress, but Tamil Nadu is repeatedly described as “different.” He also questioned why the BJP entered alliances with parties he said sought to suppress it openly or covertly.
Calling for a strategic reset, he said the BJP should identify capable, young and energetic leadership, focus on building the organisation from the bottom up, and ignore rival rhetoric. He added that the party should avoid alliances with those who claim “Tamil Nadu is different,” and should oppose separatist politics that seeks to distance the state from India.
Vembu praised former state BJP president K. Annamalai’s efforts, saying he was building a genuine political movement and encouraging youth participation, but needed more time. Vembu said he would have been interested in such a task because he enjoys building from scratch, but added that he is immersed in technology and believes India needs deep tech, and therefore will not enter active politics though he will continue to voice his political views.
