COIMBATORE: K Annamalai, founder of the We The Leaders movement, on Thursday announced it would contest the local body elections next year.

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Ethics and Politics in Coimbatore, Annamalai said the movement would field candidates trained to bring about change at the grassroots level.
“We will focus on addressing public issues rather than engaging in allegation-driven politics,” he said, while questioning the need for alliances when the movement intended to field its own candidates.

Asking why Tamil Nadu was purchasing electricity at Rs 35 a unit despite being a leading wind power producer, he criticised the government for failing to develop adequate energy storage infrastructure. “The government should explain how it plans to address the issue,” he said.

Appealing to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to avoid excessive barricading during his visit to Coimbatore on Friday, Annamalai said the Chief Minister was already popular and did not need elaborate arrangements to demonstrate his appeal. He also suggested that the Chief Minister set an example by allocating an entire day to meet people in Chennai in an organised manner rather than greeting crowds from atop a vehicle.

Referring to the Dharapuram bypoll, Annamalai urged political parties to introspect the low turnout, warning that declining participation could erode public faith in democracy.