CHENNAI: Former BJP state president K Annamalai has urged expelled AIADMK leaders O Panneerselvam and TTV Dhinakaran to remain patient and avoid public disagreements, stressing that the focus should be on dislodging the DMK from power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
“OPS and TTV should wait and watch. No one needs to rush. A war of words will not help anyone. The alliance for 2024 was built on consensus. As a BJP worker, I request them to be patient,” Annamalai told reporters after attending YG Mahendran’s play ‘Lights On’ in Mylapore.
He said Dhinakaran had the stature to respect Prime Minister Narendra Modi and should focus on constructive politics instead of reacting to recent developments. “The NDA will move on the right path,” he added.
On speculation about actor-politician Vijay’s entry into the NDA, Annamalai dismissed the possibility. “Vijay has made it clear that the BJP is his number one ideological enemy. If that is his position, I do not see how an alliance can be formed. Our priority is to strengthen the NDA, not chase new alignments,” he said.
Annamalai observed that Tamil Nadu’s political field was witnessing multiple players, with Vijay’s TVK preparing to launch its campaign and Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi projecting itself strongly. “Elections in the State have traditionally been bipolar. Whether a third or fourth front emerges will be known in the next few months,” he said.
Annamalai declined to comment on AIADMK senior leader KA Sengottaiyan’s remarks and suggested political leaders “avoid the media for a few days” to ease tensions in the party and alliance.