CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran’s son, Balaji Nainar, was on Friday appointed as the organiser of party’s sports and skill development unit.
According to media reports, the appointment triggered criticism that the BJP too had embraced dynasty politics by offering a key post to the state chief’s son.
Reacting to the allegations, Balaji Nainar said he had been associated with the BJP even before his father joined the party.
“At that time, my father was holding an important post in the AIADMK, so we kept my BJP role low profile. It is not fair to call this dynasty politics,” he told reporters at the party headquarters in Chennai.
Clarifying the decision, state BJP chief Nainar Nagendran said his son had earlier served as vice-president of the party’s youth wing and was appointed to the new role based on his work within the party.
Balaji's appointment came into focus after racer Alisha Abdulla, who was the secretary of the sports and skill development unit of the BJP, went public with her criticism. Though her proclaimed grouse was the lack of space for Muslims and Christians in what is an avowedly Hindutva party, the subtext was not lost on any.