Latest news with #K.Annamalai
The Print
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Retreat or strategic pause? Annamalai takes vow of silence on BJP-AIADMK alliance, for now
Annamalai, who once met the press frequently and rarely missed an opportunity to attack Dravidian parties including BJP ally AIADMK, told reporters Monday that he won't be commenting on political matters until August. 'I miss you all. I genuinely miss taking questions from you. I learnt a lot from you all. I am not talking about anything now. I will begin to talk from August onwards,' he told reporters in Coimbatore after an event. 'He has not let his guard down. He attends even small meetings of the party, wherever he is invited. However, he has decided not to speak much in front of the media as he hasn't got a formal role at the state level,' a source close to Annamalai told ThePrint on condition of anonymity. Chennai: The once fiery K. Annamalai appears to have toned down his aggression since stepping down as president of BJP's Tamil Nadu unit, largely confining himself to attending meetings in his stronghold in the western part of the state. His supporters say the former IPS officer-turned-politician's silence is a strategic pause—and not a retreat. When ThePrint reached him, Annamalai said he did not have any agenda to talk about. 'I will be talking after August,' he said without elaborating on the rationale behind the timeline. A native of Karur in the western region of Tamil Nadu, Annamalai belongs to the Gounder community, a dominant OBC grouping. During his tenure as state BJP president, the party's vote share in Tamil Nadu surged to 11 percent in the 2024 general election from 3 percent in the previous general election, though the party did not win any seats. Sources in the BJP told ThePrint that Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised Annamalai, who stepped down as state party president in April, a significant role at the national level. Though there was speculation that he might be inducted into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Council of Ministers, or given a key organizational role at the national level, he was appointed as a member of the party's national council a day after his resignation. His exit as state president came as the BJP revived its alliance with the AIADMK for the 2026 assembly elections. Also Read: With 4 IAS spokespersons & new public redressal system, Stalin govt expands outreach ahead of 2026 polls Caste equations drove Annamalai's exit A senior BJP leader, who did not wish to be identified, said Annamalai's resignation was driven by caste considerations and not because of his criticism of Dravidian icons. 'It was not just because he was criticising the Dravidian icons. Even now, leaders in our party criticise the Dravidian icons. One of the main reasons is that both Annamalai and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami belong to the Gounder community. So the party wanted to avoid overlapping leadership profiles from the same community in the same region,' the senior BJP leader told ThePrint. BJP and AIADMK, which joined hands after the demise of former chief minister and AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa, contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and 2021 Assembly elections together. However, a year before the 2024 general election, Annamalai began to assert that BJP would go it alone in the polls. His subsequent criticism of Dravidian icons, including former chief ministers C.N. Annadurai and Jayalalithaa, led to the break in the alliance in September 2023. In April 2025, after the BJP formally declared MLA Nainer Nagendran as its state president, the AIADMK and BJP officially revived their alliance for the 2026 assembly elections. Asked about Annamalai's role, BJP state vice president Narayanan Thirupathy told ThePrint that the national leadership will decide a role for him.'The BJP is not a regional party, which is run by dynasties. He will be given an appropriate role for his potential,' he said. Annamalai wanted BJP govt in 2026 Although AIADMK and BJP reunited after Annamalai's exit, tensions within the NDA remain, with the BJP favouring a coalition government and the AIADMK advocating for an independent government under its leadership. Annamalai, who had earlier pitched for a BJP-led government after the 2026 election, has not commented on the coalition government issue in recent weeks. But on 12 June, he seemed to strike a defiant note at a press meet in Tirupur when he said that he would not say that a coalition government would be formed, but a BJP government should be formed. 'In 2026, I would not call it a coalition government. I would say it's the BJP government only. I expect the BJP to contest in more seats. I would work for the development of the BJP till the end. I would abide by the decisions of the party,' he told reporters. The BJP and the AIADMK publicly dismissed Annamalai's assertive statement, saying the national leadership's decision was final. Former BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan reiterated that the party would follow the decision taken by the national leadership. A source in Coimbatore close to Annamalai told ThePrint that it was after this controversy that Annamalai chose to remain silent on the AIADMK-BJP alliance. 'He is a BJP karyakarta (worker) and will only speak for his own party. His stance is that the BJP's influence in the state has increased, and both the Dravidian parties are corrupt,' the source told ThePrint. 'However, the national leadership feels that the AIADMK-BJP strategic alliance is necessary to defeat the ruling DMK. Hence, he did not want to antagonize the alliance as well as his own party people,' the source added. Although Annamalai has not changed his stance on the BJP expanding its footprint in the state on its own, he also has not turned away from meeting AIADMK leaders. 'In the last couple of months, he met former AIADMK ministers Sengottaiyan and S.P. Velumani on different occasions and greeted them,' said the source quoted above. On the other hand, newly elected BJP state president Nagendran has been cordial with the AIADMK party leadership and workers. At the launch of AIADMK's campaign on 7 July, he said EPS would be the chief minister of an AIADMK-led NDA government in Tamil Nadu. (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also Read: DMK wants young blood to join Dravidian ranks. It's counting on role with mouthpiece, fellowship
Business Standard
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
HomeLane Strengthens Coimbatore Presence with New Studio Launch
BusinessWire India Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 14: HomeLane, India's leading home interiors brand, opened its latest studio on 100ft Road, Gandhipuram, marking its 12th store in Tamil Nadu. With this, HomeLane expands its presence in Coimbatore, bringing hassle-free, tech-enabled home interior solutions backed by thoughtful design, predictable timelines, and its trusted 45-day delivery guarantee. The launch was inaugurated by Shri K. Annamalai (Former IPS officer, Former BJP Tamil Nadu State President) and Smt. Vanathi Srinivasan (MLA, Coimbatore South). "Coimbatore has always been a city of builders and doers - and with players like HomeLane, we're seeing a welcome shift towards structured, design-first execution. This strengthens the city's reputation as a growing hub for quality interior design in Coimbatore," they shared. Tanuj Choudhry, Co-Founder & COO, said, "Tamil Nadu has been one of our most engaged markets. With this new studio, we're doubling down on our promise to help homeowners get beautifully designed homes - delivered on time, on budget, and without the usual hassles of doing your home interiors." MS Dhoni, HomeLane's brand ambassador, reflects the brand's shared values of consistency, reliability, and performance - qualities that deeply connect with homeowners across Tamil Nadu. At the new studio, customers can explore modular kitchens, wardrobes, entertainment units, and more, supported by: * AI-powered 3D visualisation through SpaceCraft Pro * Flat, transparent pricing with no hidden costs * A 45-day delivery guarantee * 10-year material warranty * Dedicated project management for seamless execution This offering sets a new benchmark for home interiors in Coimbatore, combining predictability, quality, and convenience. Dharsan Srinivasan, studio partner, added, "The demand here isn't just for great design - it's for a system that works. That's exactly what HomeLane delivers, and we're proud to be part of this journey."
Business Upturn
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
HomeLane Strengthens Coimbatore Presence with New Studio Launch
By Business Wire India Published on July 14, 2025, 16:34 IST HomeLane, India's leading home interiors brand, opened its latest studio on 100ft Road, Gandhipuram, marking its 12th store in Tamil Nadu. Business Wire India HomeLane, India's leading home interiors brand, opened its latest studio on 100ft Road, Gandhipuram, marking its 12th store in Tamil Nadu. With this, HomeLane expands its presence in Coimbatore, bringing hassle-free, tech-enabled home interior solutions backed by thoughtful design, predictable timelines, and its trusted 45-day delivery guarantee. The launch was inaugurated by Shri K. Annamalai (Former IPS officer, Former BJP Tamil Nadu State President) and Smt. Vanathi Srinivasan (MLA, Coimbatore South). 'Coimbatore has always been a city of builders and doers – and with players like HomeLane, we're seeing a welcome shift towards structured, design-first execution. This strengthens the city's reputation as a growing hub for quality interior design in Coimbatore,' they shared. Tanuj Choudhry , Co-Founder & COO, said, 'Tamil Nadu has been one of our most engaged markets. With this new studio, we're doubling down on our promise to help homeowners get beautifully designed homes – delivered on time, on budget, and without the usual hassles of doing your home interiors.' MS Dhoni , HomeLane's brand ambassador, reflects the brand's shared values of consistency, reliability, and performance – qualities that deeply connect with homeowners across Tamil Nadu. At the new studio, customers can explore modular kitchens, wardrobes, entertainment units, and more, supported by: AI-powered 3D visualisation through SpaceCraft Pro Flat, transparent pricing with no hidden costs A 45-day delivery guarantee 10-year material warranty Dedicated project management for seamless execution This offering sets a new benchmark for home interiors in Coimbatore, combining predictability, quality, and convenience. Dharsan Srinivasan , studio partner, added, 'The demand here isn't just for great design – it's for a system that works. That's exactly what HomeLane delivers, and we're proud to be part of this journey.' Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India. Business Upturn take no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Business Wire India, established in 2002, India's premier media distribution company ensures guaranteed media coverage through its network of 30+ cities and top news agencies.
The Hindu
22-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Massive turnout at Muruga Bhaktargal meet, a warning bell to those in power: Annamalai
The massive turnout of Hindus at Muruga Bhaktargal conference is a warning bell to those in power, said BJP leader, K. Annamalai. Addressing the conference organised by Hindu Munnani here on Sunday, he said each abode of Lord Murugan has a different message of love, knowledge, married life, victory over evil (soorasamharam) and peace. 'It is those in power who should decide as to in which form they want to see the Hindus,' he said. Hindus usually forgive people, who trouble them in a small way or big way. 'However, the Hindus are continuously facing trouble in their way of life. Political leaders, who come to power with the votes of Hindus, speak in derogatory language against the Hindus, as they believe that Hindus would never get united,' he added. 'Our children should be able to use holy ash on their foreheads and wear 'rudraksha mala' to schools. These troubles need such a conference,' he added. Jews, who are only 0.2% of the world population were fighting against four nations for their rights. However, when India fights against cross-border terrorism, it is criticised by political leaders, he said. BJP State president, Nainar Nagendran said that despite all hurdles created against the conduct of the conference it has turned out to be a grand success with lakhs of people turning up. He also enthused the crowd by singing verses from the famous devotional song on Lord Murugan, 'Marudhamalai Maamaniye' sung by Madurai Somu. Untouchability led to Hindu fragmentation: Untouchability among the Hindus was the major reason for the Hindu religion to get fragmented, said RSS leader, R. Vanniarajan. He said that ancient Hindus celebrated the entire world as a single family with philosophies like 'Yaathum Oore, Yaavarum Kelir,' and the people are children of Mother Earth. Women were celebrated as mothers. However, a disorder crept into the Hindu society in the form of untouchability and discrimination and it led to the biggest fall of the Hindus. He said that the Hindus should realise that only unity among the Hindus would make the people stronger. The RSS believes that Untouchability was a sin and it should be uprooted to make the Hindus unite. 'It should begin from within,' he added. He also pointed out that the temples in thousands of villages should be opened to all community to offer prayers. Similarly, the cremation yard and waterbodies should be common to all. Hindu Munnani leader Bhaktavachalam said that while in the entire country, the Hindus worshipped God together, and whenever there was some trouble for the temple, they fight unitedly. However, in Tamil Nadu, people offer prayers separately. '(Hindus in) Tamil Nadu have bhakthi, but no shakthi,' he said. 'The objective of this conference is to make people of Tamil Nadu to worship together at least once in a month by reciting Kandha Sashti Kavasam,' he said.
The Hindu
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Union government's transfer of funds to TN is higher than the State's revenue generated for the Centre, says Annamalai
For every rupee paid by Tamil Nadu to the Union government through the Central GST and Income and Corporate Taxes, the Centre has given the State the same amount through devolution of funds, grant in aid, subsidies, and funds for projects such as roads and airports, contended K. Annamalai, former BJP State president on Thursday. He told journalists in Coimbatore that in 2021-2022, the CGST and Income and Corporate Tax paid by Tamil Nadu was ₹1,10,453 crore and in FY 23, it was ₹1,34,425 crore. In the 2021-2022 fiscal, the Centre gave the State ₹72,510 crore and in 2022-2023, ₹76,465 crore through devolution of funds and grant-in-aid. In 2021-2022, as an instance, the Centre also gave ₹30,456 crore as subsidies (food, fertilizer, etc) apart from funds for projects such as roads and airports. 'So, for every ₹1 paid to the Central government by the State, ₹1 was given back,' he claimed. In the last four years, Tamil Nadu paid the Centre ₹4,36,136 crore and the total transfer to the State by the Centre was ₹5,47,380 crore. Further, the Tamil Nadu government has launched schemes similar to the Vishwakarma scheme and the Janaushadhi schemes of the Union government. But, there are very few beneficiaries registered for the credit-linked subsidy scheme for artisans (Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam) and the government should share the number of beneficiaries registered for it so far. Similarly, in the case of Mudhalvar Marundhagam, the State government is trying to procure medicine from the Centre and thus blocking the medicines to be supplied to the Janaushadhi outlets in the State, he claimed. Mr. Annamalai said there will be a day when there will be a political change in Tamil Nadu. 'It is inevitable and I am waiting for it,' he said. On the Anna University case, he said he welcomed the defamation case filed by former PRO of Anna University and will not apologise as demanded by him. There should be a CBI inquiry into the case, he said.
