Chennai: Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran has appealed to party workers and office-bearers not to “believe anything and get deceived” into joining former BJP leader K Annamalai’s newly launched organisation.
Speaking to reporters, Nagendran said Annamalai, after leaving the BJP, has started a separate movement and that a few party functionaries and many grassroots-level office-bearers have moved to it. He alleged that they were being influenced with claims that the new outfit has the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Nagendran rejected those claims, stating that neither the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah nor national leaders have extended blessings to any such organisation. He also said those who are part of Annamalai’s movement cannot be considered BJP workers, and insisted that BJP members should remain only within the party.
He maintained that the BJP would not be weakened by the exits, calling it a “big party” led by Modi, and urged those who left to return, assuring that no action would be taken against them. He also pointed to the party’s performance in the recent Assembly election, saying it contested fewer seats but secured more votes than in previous elections.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP vice-president A.G. Sampath has announced that he is quitting the party.
