CHENNAI: Triggering fresh political speculation and causing unease within sections of the State unit of the BJP in the aftermath of the disastrous Assembly election, posters declaring support for former BJP State president K Annamalai have appeared across several parts of Chennai on Sunday.
The posters, put up under the banner of the "All India Annamalai Thalaimai Narpani Mandram (All India Annamalai Leadership Welfare Forum), hailed Annamalai as the "new identity of Tamil Nadu politics" and carried the tagline "Knowledge, Courage, Honesty". The sudden appearance of the campaign assumes significance amid growing discussions within the BJP over Annamalai's political role in the run-up to the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
For weeks, a section of his supporters has been alleging that Annamalai was being sidelined in the party's election-related activities despite his considerable influence among cadre and grassroots workers.
The poster campaign has also surfaced against the backdrop of unverified reports and political chatter suggesting that Annamalai could consider launching a separate political outfit in the future. Neither Annamalai nor the BJP leadership has responded to the speculation so far.
The issue has generated discussion within the BJP state unit, with party functionaries privately admitting that the posters had drawn attention at a time when the organisation was attempting to consolidate its strategy for the 2029 election.
Supporters of Annamalai have also cited the BJP's poor performance in the recently concluded Tamil Nadu polls, where the party secured victory in only one of the 27 constituencies it contested in alliance during the Assembly elections.
Senior BJP leaders, however, refrained from commenting on the posters or the speculation surrounding Annamalai's next political move.