Word on the street is that the BJP made a major mistake by allowing its alliance with the AIADMK to collapse in Tamil Nadu. Many believe that all it would have taken to salvage the alliance was to replace the state BJP chief. Normally, the BJP is known for avoiding tactical errors, but this time it seems that ego got the better of them.
The ruling party didn’t want to repeat the same mistake they made in Telangana. Just like K Annamalai is doing now as party chief in Tamil Nadu, Bandi Sanjay, the former BJP chief in Telangana, created a positive buzz and dictated the political narrative in a state where the party’s presence was minimal. Bandi Sanjay and Annamalai Kuppuswamy may have different backgrounds, but they were both strategically chosen to challenge the political landscape in their respective states.
Bandi Sanjay, a member of the Munnuru Kapu community, had the potential to mobilize the Backward Classes community in Telangana. Annamalai, on the other hand, is a member of the powerful Vellala Gounder community, which helped counter the perception that the BJP is a party of the upper castes in Tamil Nadu.
Both Bandi Sanjay and Annamalai managed to create a stir and provoke reactions from the ruling parties in their states. Bandi Sanjay led a successful yatra that gained praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. Annamalai is currently leading a footmarch to strengthen the BJP’s presence in Tamil Nadu.
However, despite their success, they seemed to alienate their own party members. They didn’t actively involve senior leaders in their decision-making and charted their own course. As a result, Bandi Sanjay was replaced as BJP Telangana chief and the party lost momentum in the state. Similarly, Annamalai’s actions led to the breakup of the BJP-AIADMK alliance in Tamil Nadu.
The BJP in Tamil Nadu wants to improve its footprint and vote share in the upcoming elections, but Annamalai’s actions have made that task more challenging. He challenged respected figures in Dravidian politics and showed reluctance to accept the AIADMK’s chief ministerial candidate, which ultimately led to the alliance’s breakdown.
The BJP wants to establish its own independent identity in Tamil Nadu and pitch itself as a nationalist Hindu party that respects Tamil identity, culture, and language. Playing second fiddle to the Dravidian parties won’t help the BJP in the long run.
Overall, the BJP made a mistake by allowing the alliance to collapse, and now they have chosen the path of going with Annamalai to make political gains in Tamil Nadu. Only time will tell if this strategy pays off for them.