Chennai: Annamalai, who earlier served as the Tamil Nadu BJP president and later launched the organisation “We The Leaders”, is set to participate in a Tamil association conference in the United States. His appearance at the event has led some supporters to question whether he is moving towards an anti-Hindutva political line.
According to the report, Annamalai has been enrolling members into his new organisation, with many former RSS-BJP functionaries and people aligned with Hindutva ideology joining in significant numbers. Against this backdrop, his decision to attend the conference has drawn attention within these circles.
Annamalai is scheduled to take part in the 39th Tamil festival organised by the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA) in New Jersey, beginning tomorrow. The conference is expected to run for three days.
While overseas Tamil organisations are generally seen as giving importance to Hindu culture, FeTNA has faced allegations that it sidelines Hindu identity and promotes DMK-aligned positions. The report notes that the Bharathi Tamil Sangam in San Francisco was formed in opposition to FeTNA, and that Annamalai had attended a Bharathi Tamil Sangam event during a US visit in October 2022.
In this context, political observers cited in the report say Annamalai’s participation in the FeTNA event has created doubts among Hindutva-leaning members of “We The Leaders”, particularly those based in the US, about the direction he may take going forward.
