- 6 hours ago
A panel discussion on India Today evaluates the emerging political strategy, ideology, and future plans of former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai following his recent moves and public remarks. The debate features BJP leader Madhavanthi Mahendra, political analyst Sumanth C. Raman, and Dr. Sudarshan Seshadri representing the initiative 'We The Leaders'. The conversation focuses on whether Annamalai is distancing himself from the BJP or trying to adopt Dravidian political stances, drawing criticism from fellow panelists who argue that his core support base feels confused. Defending the movement, Dr. Sudarshan Seshadri insists that the organisation is currently focusing on grassroots social activities, asserting, 'We are neither a left nor a right wing. We want to walk the straight path.' He also affirms that the platform is training one lakh citizens to emerge as leaders ahead of local body elections rather than building a conventional cadre base.
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00:00Okay, joining me on this broadcast from the BJP, we have Madhuvanti Mahendra, Mr. Sumansi Raman, political analyst and a
00:07representative of We The Leaders, Dr. Sudarshan Seshadri with us on this broadcast.
00:12Good evening, thank you all for your time. Mr. Sumansi Raman, I'd like to begin with you. What do you
00:16think, sir, is Annamalai's political game plan here? What is his ideology?
00:21I seriously doubt whether he himself knows what the game plan is. Because we are seeing every week a new
00:28position on various things. Does he want to sort of echo the Dravidian ideology? In which case, people might as
00:38well choose the DMK. If he wants to project himself as a youth leader, people may as well choose Vijay.
00:46They have already chosen Vijay.
00:47So, what is his plan? Look, after his recent post on this CJP protests and so on, the comment section
00:57was filled with people saying that they regretted having supported him at one point of time.
01:02So, he must realize that his base is largely a BJP base and many of them feel totally cheated and
01:11deceived for having thought that he would, you know, take a more rational stance.
01:18No, but then Mr. Sumansi Raman, in Tamil Nadu, we've seen the BJP's track record and the fact that they've
01:24never been successful.
01:25Is this Annamalai then intentionally shedding the tag of the BJP in order to ensure that he can be successful
01:31in Tamil Nadu politics?
01:33When he came out of the BJP, everyone said that he is a B team. They are setting him up
01:38to sort of be away from the party, but at the same time, you know, become a kind of a
01:44Trojan horse of the party.
01:45Now, he clearly wants to distance himself from that position and that is why he is, you know, making statements
01:52critical of the BJP at the center.
01:53But the point is not that. The point is, what is his political stance going to be?
01:59Why should people vote for him when you have, if he is, he wished everyone on Mr. Ivera's birthday, which,
02:09you know, the BJP is going hammer and tongs at Mr. Ivera's legacy.
02:14So, what does all this point do? If he is going to be a Dravidian leader, steeped in Dravidian ideology,
02:24people might as well vote for a DMK. Why should they vote for Annamalai?
02:28So, I don't, I don't, I don't honestly understand what the game plan is. Maybe Mr. Sudarshan can tell us.
02:35Yeah, Dr. Sudarshan, you want to respond to that?
02:42You're on mute, sir.
02:43Sir, can you unmute yourself, please?
02:51Okay.
02:52Yes, go ahead.
02:54So, first of all, we are not a political party yet.
02:57Right now, we are serving the people of Tamil Nadu by doing various ground level activities,
03:04by creating a synergy of positivity in terms of, you know, ground activities like environmental protection,
03:11planting trees. That was one set of activity, and then followed by women empowerment. We have been doing a lot
03:17of activity, and then we are coming out with a lot of other activities in the months to come.
03:21This is point number one. We are still not a political party. That's point number one.
03:24Point number two, to respond to Mr. Raman. See, the party, once it is formed, a lot of apprehensions, a
03:34lot of, you know, perceptions would completely get changed because we are neither a left nor a right wing.
03:40We want to walk the straight path. We are not a right wing political party, neither of that. We want
03:47to walk a very straight line, a very clear line, and the line is very clear. We are very clear
03:52about it.
03:53We know where we have to go. All that would be very visible, and people would understand once the party
03:58is launched.
03:59No, but sir, I'm sure you recognize that in politics, there's a need for a certain political identity.
04:05Yes, we will create an identity, for sure. We have everything. All the plans are in place.
04:09See, you have to understand Mr. Annamalai, as a person, is not going to do a short-term, short-gain
04:15politics. He's going to be there. He's going to be there for the next 50, 100 years.
04:19Okay, the party is going to be there. So, for that, the plan and strategy is very clear.
04:23It will be, at the right time, it will be unfolded, in phases. Right now, we restrict ourselves to various
04:30ground-level activities, which has been happening tremendously in Tamil Nadu.
04:34And you see people also, you know, following that, a lot of other political parties have started getting into social
04:40activities, which is very good. We welcome that also.
04:43Okay. You're saying that it's mostly social activities.
04:45But the reality, sir, is that the reason we're having this discussion is because of the comments Mr. Annamalai has
04:50made on political developments that have been taking place in the country.
04:55Let me bring in Madhuvanti, also, leader of the Bharatiya Jarata Party.
04:59Ma'am, what do you make of all that Annamalai has said in the last two days about your party,
05:03about the BJP's handling of the CJP?
05:07Good evening. And good evening to my fellow panelists, once again.
05:11See, again, I will only say this is an identity crisis. This is a huge identity crisis that Annamalai is
05:19facing, because I don't know where he wants to go.
05:22Like Sumansi Ramanji rightly said, I really don't know if he has a game plan set, because he's saying, I'll
05:28accept this, I'll accept that also.
05:30Then he says, I won't accept this, I won't accept that.
05:32Modi ji is a nice man, but the government did the wrong thing.
05:35I mean, come on, take a stand, stick to the stand.
05:37You said BJP does not have a future in Tamil Nadu. I am from BJP Tamil Nadu. I am sticking
05:43to my guns.
05:44I know at some point in time, something good will happen for Tamil Nadu through BJP.
05:47You've got to take a stand at some point in time.
05:50You can't say, I will stand like a cat on the wall and I will just keep, you know, I'll
05:53go where the wind flows.
05:55It doesn't work that way.
05:56Many would argue, ma'am, that he's taken the stand by leaving the BJP.
06:00He took a stand by leaving the BJP. What is the stand now?
06:03No, that is my question. If you are wanting to take the gravity and stand, why join the BJP in
06:09the first place?
06:09You could have gone and joined the ADMK or the DMK. You didn't do that. You came to the BJP.
06:15So six years, the BJP nurtured you, took care of you, kept you on our heads.
06:20The entire party, the entire ecosystem.
06:23Today, you went out, no problem. We wish you well.
06:27But then take a stand. Take a direct stand.
06:30Don't do the cat on the wall business.
06:32See, thanks, Madhwati ma'am, for raising and giving us an opportunity to respond back.
06:40First issue is that he is not a cat on the wall. He's a lion.
06:45He's a lion. We all know that.
06:48He's called as a singam. Okay? We all know that.
06:50And there's been no earlier stands of the BJP or anybody that the way he has been described about.
06:56We continue to have the same stand now. Point number one.
06:58Point number two is, he has only questioned the process.
07:02He has not supported the CJP. He has made it very clear.
07:06He's made it amply clear that he is not in support of the CJP.
07:10Okay?
07:11So there's no question of him, you know, siding with CJP.
07:16He's only said the way the process is incorrect.
07:19Because if you press something, the spring very hard, it is bound to rise back.
07:23So he said, don't make them big.
07:25So I think people should not read in between lines.
07:27People should not...
07:28Of course, this has become a national debate.
07:30But his stand is very clear.
07:33And we are all very, very clear as to where we are heading for.
07:36So people...
07:37Just hold on.
07:38I think there's a question, sir.
07:40You know, you say...
07:42Simple question, Sudarshan Ji.
07:44Akshita, just give me one minute.
07:45Sure.
07:45If you don't want to make the CJP big, then why did Annamalaya have to talk about it in the
07:49first place?
07:50Ignore them?
07:51See, in the entire...
07:53See, in the entire press meet or in the entire discussion which he's given, the press meet which he's given,
07:59he's never spoken about the BJP per se.
08:01Okay?
08:02He's only said...
08:04He's only talked...
08:04He's only made a stand very clear that CJP, he does not endorse their kind of...
08:09He does not endorse their ideology.
08:12He's very clearly categorically said that we have a different ideology and we don't endorse it.
08:16That's point number one.
08:18Point number two, he's also made it categorically clear that please don't make them big.
08:22Handle them in the right way.
08:24Let the democratic process follow.
08:25Go as per law.
08:26I think every citizen of this country, irrespective of who or she, he or she, I think it's a fair
08:33statement.
08:34It's a very fair statement.
08:35No, but I think the question, Mr. Sudarshan...
08:39My question is not that.
08:40My question is very simple.
08:43If Mr. Annamalaya feels CJP shouldn't be made big, why talk about them at all?
08:49You could have ignored that question and said, I don't want to talk about it.
08:52He has done that many times.
08:53Madam, I think you will agree with me on this point for sure, that when a set of people are
09:00asking my question, it's a duty of a leader.
09:03That too, of a mass following of almost 21 lakh...
09:05I don't want to give them importance.
09:07Okay.
09:07He has given his response and nobody can say whether he can give a response or not.
09:11I think that's his prerogative to give a response.
09:13So it's our prerogative to make a comment about it, no?
09:17You're entitled to.
09:18That's democracy.
09:19That's democracy.
09:20So I'm asking you also...
09:21You're entitled to.
09:23You're entitled to.
09:24And we are very clear.
09:25No, we are holding on to the stand.
09:26We are not cat on the wall.
09:27We are very clear.
09:28We are again holding on to the stand that we do not endorse.
09:32He has made it very clear the ideology of CJP is different and our ideology is different.
09:37He's been very...
09:38Again, time and again, he's been saying only one thing.
09:40Please follow the due process.
09:42Please follow the due law.
09:44So what, according to him, is the due law?
09:46And he's also very categorically said that democracy is there for everybody.
09:51Anybody has got the right to protest, whether be it the Congress or be it the DMK or be it
09:56any other party, people, they have the right to protest.
10:00We agree.
10:01So what, according to him, is the due process?
10:03He's an ex-IPS officer.
10:04Why is he not giving us clarity on what, according to him, is the due process?
10:08I think he's...
10:10I think he's also clarified very clearly that the same police officer can't also act as a
10:17district magistrate.
10:18You know the entire context, right?
10:19Yeah, yeah.
10:20Mr. Samansuera.
10:21Also, we will not get into it.
10:22The point I'm trying to make is very simple.
10:25Mr. Annamalai, Akshita comes with a track record of a long list of broken promises, starting
10:34with the case where he said, I have got all the evidence in the Anna University case.
10:40I will release this immediately.
10:42I mean, starting with that, it's been a long list of people who have been letdowns of issues
10:51where word has not been kept and a whole lot of such, you know, behavior, which has meant
10:59that his credibility, what did he say?
11:0150 lakh people come, I will start political party.
11:05Now have 50 lakh people come.
11:07They will come, sir, sir, sir, we are not...
11:09No, no, no, no, sir, sir, I will tell you something.
11:13We are not getting cadres for the party.
11:15We will start the political party and then reach 50 lakh.
11:19We want to develop leaders.
11:20We are not bringing cadres, like unlike another political party or any other political party.
11:24I am not mentioning the 50 lakh.
11:25Who said 50 lakh?
11:27Did I say it?
11:28No.
11:28No, no.
11:29Please understand.
11:30It is Mr. Annamalai who said it.
11:31Why did he say it?
11:32Exactly.
11:33No, we're not going back on it.
11:34Sir, why is he contesting the local body election?
11:38Sir, please understand.
11:39Who is contesting the local body election?
11:41You please understand.
11:42We are already...
11:43So why is somebody contesting the election?
11:45Why is somebody forming the party?
11:47I don't think it's a right argument.
11:48Sir, please understand.
11:49Sir, please understand.
11:49If you are contesting local body election, you are a political entity.
11:54Agree?
11:55Sir, we will...
11:56Sir, I think you are again misgiving the facts.
11:59You please understand.
12:00He has made it very clear.
12:01Step number one, we are in the process.
12:04We are in the process of doing grassroot level work.
12:06Point number one.
12:07We are in the process of training almost one lakh leaders.
12:12One minute, sir.
12:13One lakh leaders.
12:14Are you going to be a political entity and contest the local body elections?
12:20Yes or no?
12:20It's a very simple question.
12:21Please understand one thing.
12:22We are contesting the local body elections.
12:53Okay.
12:55Supporting, making the common man as a leader.
12:57We are in the process.
12:59And we are very clear in the process.
13:00We are training almost one lakh people in the next one year's time to make them leaders.
13:05We are not calling cadres to the party.
13:07We are forming leaders.
13:08We are making leaders.
13:09Look at the difference for the first time in the Indian history.
13:12Here is an organization.
13:14Tell us which wants to create leaders, not workers.
13:19Then who will work?
13:20If everyone is a leader, who is going to work for your party?
13:22A leader has to work.
13:24Every leader will work.
13:25See, the problem is that you have a differentiation between a leader and a leader and a leader has
13:30to work.
13:30Every single leader will work.
13:33They are creating one lakh leaders and the one lakh leaders are going to work.
13:38Look, please understand one lakh leaders, everybody will work.
13:45Please don't try to make leaders as big.
13:47There's no cult culture here.
13:49Sorry, we don't believe in cult culture.
13:52We believe in the common man politics.
13:54Irony just jumped off the cliff.
13:57The gentleman who actually ran an independent war room to promote himself
14:02is talking about no cult.
14:04It is hilarious.
14:06Please understand.
14:07Mr. Annamalai is promoted.
14:09Annamalai is war room.
14:11This and that is all something which we should not talk about because it is not right.
14:15Because point number one, right now look at our agenda.
14:18Our agenda is very clear.
14:19We want clean politics.
14:20We want competitive economy.
14:22We want competent governance.
14:23We want a very cohesive society.
14:27And last but not least, we want all the citizens to be leaders.
14:29I'm going to wrap this up because I've run out of time.
14:32But Mr. Subhansi Ramain, Madhubanti Ma'am and Mr. Sudarshan,
14:35thank you for joining us here on India Today.
14:37A lot of questions on exactly what Annamalai's political outfit will look like.
14:42You heard from we, the leaders, the representative from the movement that Annamalai started off
14:47saying that right now we're focused on social activities.
14:50Political step is inevitable.
14:52And at that point, what really will be his ideology, his stand, we'll wait and watch.