Things have reached a point of no return in Tamil Nadu BJP as the Brahmin community has turned against the State president K Annamalai allegedly over the raw deal given to S Ve Shekhar, filmstar-turned-politician.
A war of statements has been going on between the factions led by Shekhar and that of Annamalai though the latter remains tight-lipped over the issue. Shekhar is the fourth or fifth Brahmin leader who has raised a banner of revolt against the BJP leadership.
Shekhar, a known party hopper, is disappointed because of the cold shoulder he received from the BJP leadership. He told The Pioneer that though he was trying to patch up with Annamalai, the latter has not given him any appointment despite many requests. “I am surprised over the fact that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has time for me while Annamalai is ignoring me for months,” said Shekhar.
Insiders in the BJP say that chances of Shekhar joining the DMK have brightened as he has not uttered a single word against the Dravidian major during the last six months. “Shekhar has been praising Stalin while the latter and his half-sister Kanimozhi have been complimenting the yesteryear star quite frequently,” said a political commentator based in Chennai.
There is also a move by the Brahmin community in the State (constituting two per cent of the population) to float a political party. “The Vanniyars have the PMK, the Mudaliyars have the DMK and the Gaunders and the Thevars have the AIADMK. So what is wrong in the Brahmins forming a separate political outfit,” asked Shekhar.
Meanwhile in Kerala also the BJP is fast emerging as a house divided. B Gopalakrishnan and Sandeep Warrier, leaders who sounded critical of the Yaga held last month by party's State chief K Surendran made a vault face on Monday and said that they do not have anything against the BJP. “We remain in the BJP come whatever. I did not attend the Yaga as I was not aware of the same,” said Gopalakrishnan while according to Warrier, he was the one who always looked ahead of times. “More than divine blessings, I want to get into the heart of people through good deeds,” he said. The going is not easy for the BJP in both the southern States.