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TN BJP IT cell chief quits party, joins AIADMK
Nirmal blamed Annamalai, without naming him, for his decision to quit and in a one-page statement, he accused Annamalai of having a clandestine understanding with a DMK minister, and of engaging in “surveillance” against many BJP cadres
Chennai: Bharatiya Janata Party’s Tamil Nadu IT cell chief CTR Nirmal Kumar posted his resignation on Twitter on Sunday, accusing the party’s state president K Annamalai of having a clandestine understanding with a DMK minister. A few hours later, he joined the AIADMK, the main ally of the BJP in the state.
Nirmal blamed Annamalai, without naming him, for his decision to quit and explained it in a one-page statement. “How can I work with a person who is talking aggressively about a minister outside – with whom I have a legal battle— and negotiating with him behind the scenes,” Nirmal said.
“As a whole, he is worse than the Dravidian Model ministers. The person who is a #420malai is dangerous not only to the BJP, but also to the state…The party is travelling on the path of disaster due to his one-man show who is not considering the party and its cadres,” he added.
Nirmal alleged that the party’s structure has been deteriorating since 2019 after Annamalai took over. He even accused Annamalai of engaging in “surveillance” against many. “It was petty to spy on one’s own party cadre and to treat them like footwear.”
Annamalai’s supporters took to Twitter to support the state BJP chief and said that those leaving the BJP should leave with dignity.
Annamalai took to Twitter to wish Nirmal success wherever he goes.
Nirmal went to the Chennai residence of AIADMK’s interim general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) to join the party. A statement from the AIADMK said that Nirmal was being inducted as a primary member of the party.
Nirmal had referred to the legal tussle he has with a DMK minister without naming him. Last November, the Madras high court granted an interim injunction restraining Nirmal from making defamatory statements, tweets, interviews against Senthil Balaji, minister for electricity, prohibition and excise. Nirmal’s main allegation at that time had been that the state-run liquor monopoly TASMAC (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited) shops are illegally selling bottles above the MRP.
