Will quit rather than being part of corrupt politics: TN BJP chief Annamalai

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Annamalai, 38, said the people of Tamil Nadu are waiting for a significant shift in the political landscape. “The 2024 elections as an opportunity for this change,” said the former police officer who left his job to join the BJP.

“If we have a principled stand and if we build that trust among people, that this party can be trusted, we will get support from people,” he said.

In Tamil Nadu, it is common for political parties to bribe voters during elections, with the ruling party paying more and the opposition paying slightly less, he said. Annamalai added: “We cannot claim a clean politics after bribing voters. In Tamil Nadu, it is like we cannot face an election without bribing voters.”

The BJP state chief candidly revealed the financial strain elections have on candidates, sharing how he spent his entire savings from nine years of police service during his first election campaign at Aravakurichi. He said he is now in debt.

According to him, it costs between Rs 80 to 120 crore to participate in a Lok Sabha election in Tamil Nadu.

Annamalai said that if politicians have to bribe their way into office, they cannot talk about clean politics, let alone bring about any change.

He declared his commitment to politics but made it clear that he refuses to compromise his values. “If I can be in politics only by changing myself and sacrificing my values, I don’t want to be in that politics,” he said.

While Annamalai acknowledged that the statements reflected his personal views, his public stand against corruption is an unusual move.

Top sources in BJP said if Annamalai stands by his latest statements, either the central leadership will have to convince him to change an aggressive position or relieve him before July or even before that.