Chennai
oi-Prakash KL
Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai launched a scathing attack on the BJP’s “Delhi-centric” decision-making and the “Gujarat model” of development.
Speaking at the India Today Tamil Nadu Roundtable, Annamalai, who recently quit the party to launch his own We The Leaders movement, argued that the BJP’s failure to decentralize power is costing it dearly in states like Tamil Nadu.
Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai criticized the BJP’s Delhi-centric decision-making and Gujarat model, arguing for decentralized power and equitable development across states, following the launch of his ‘We The Leaders’ movement.
“You can’t call a core committee in Amit Shah’s residence,” Annamalai stated, expressing his displeasure over party decisions being made far from the state’s soil. He argued that decisions concerning a state should be made within the state.
Annamalai also criticised what he described as the concentration of major projects and events in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. He questioned the logic of channeling all major investments and sporting events to a single state.
“The Gujarat-centric model of Delhi development has to change a bit,” Annamalai said. “You can’t have all the AI companies going there, all wafer companies going there, 2030 Commonwealth Games going there, 2036 Olympic Games going to Ahmedabad. You cannot have this Gujarat model of all-India development”. He warned that people in states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu are “watching” this disparity.
Responding to critics who label him the “B team of the BJP,” Annamalai asserted that his actions and the stands he takes on state-specific issues will be his answer. He cited the contentious Mekedatu dam issue to illustrate his consistent focus on Tamil Nadu’s interests, recalling that he had led a protest against the Karnataka BJP on the matter even when he was state party president.
He claimed the central government’s stance on the project appeared to shift based on electoral cycles, a move he termed unacceptable. “People are watching it because Karnataka elections is coming first in 2028, Tamil Nadu is coming second. You can’t make a position based on that” .
While clarifying that he continues to respect PM Modi and other leaders, Annamalai insisted that respect does not equate to endorsing every policy. He argued that the BJP must move beyond its current structure to empower state-level leaders if it wishes to grow in a tough state like Tamil Nadu.
“I’m not criticizing,” Annamalai clarified. “I hope and pray nationalism continues to be in Tamil Nadu… We are strong regional focused movement later a party, but we are nationalist at heart.”
