The political landscape in Tamil Nadu is rapidly evolving, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) steadily carving out a significant presence in a state that has long been dominated by Dravidian parties. In the Lok Sabha polls 2024, BJP secured 11.24 per cent of the vote share and placed second in nine constituencies. As the State prepares for Assembly elections next year, Professor Raama Sreenivasan, the General Secretary of BJP Tamil Nadu, had a candid conversation with Organiser’s Senior Assistant Editor Nishant Kumar Azad in Delhi on a range of topics, including the party’s plans for an alliance with the AIADMK, the ongoing language debate, delimitation, and more. Excerpts:
Recently, AIADMK General Secretary E Palaniswami met Union Home Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit Shah, and next day K Annamalai, the BJP, Tamil Nadu President, also met Amit Shah. Are the old allies coming back together?
There is no official communication from the either side, except the Amit Shah Ji’s office releasing the photos, and expressing optimism that in Tamil Nadu, NDA will form the Government in 2026. We are very happy about Amit Shahji’s announcement. If AIADMK comes into alliance, it will be a very good thing for Tamil Nadu’s welfare and we are 100 per cent sure that we can unseat the DMK this time.
In the last ten years, BJP, especially PM Modi has been aggressively reaching out to people of Tamil Nadu. Despite improving its performance in South, BJP is still considered as a North-centric party. Where are you missing in reaching out to people?
It is nonsense to speak about the North and South like that. Many people say, “We are all South Indians.” No. We are not South Indians. We are Indians from South. You are an Indian from North, India is one entity.
Our opponents, criticise that BJP is a North-centric party but in Puducherry, it is our Government now. In Telangana, we have increased our tally. In Tamil Nadu also, there will be a NDA Government shortly. See, we should understand the design and character of DMK. There are hundreds of regional parties in this country, but if you analyse DNA of DMK, it is anti-India, anti-Hindu, anti-Sanskrit, anti-Hindi etc.. Such a party does not exist anywhere else.
We have ventured into every nook and corner of the State. Our vote share is 18 per cent, including alliance partners. In 2014, without Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi, with other smaller parties, we got 17 per cent vote share and won one Lok Sabha seat — Kanyakumari. BJP is growing. Now it is clear: all nationalist, patriotic, and anti-DMK forces want the alliance. Amit Shah ji is working on it. If it happens, it is good for Tamil Nadu.
Can you elaborate on BJP’s strategy to deal with North-South divide?
Yes. We held a massive rally in Trichy supporting the National Education Policy (NEP) and the three-language policy. DMK is trying to brand Modiji as anti-Tamil. Whatever he does — whether it is development or education policy — they say it is anti-Tamil Nadu.
The manufactured narrative on north-south divide, minority appeasement and alliances has helped DMK. But we are confident this time, we will break it.
There have been allegations of massive corruption against DMK leaders. Still, BJP could not convince people in its favour?
In Tamil Nadu, DMK and corruption are synonyms. However, unfortunately corruption is not an electoral issue in the State. People criticise it, but don’t vote on it. The only time corruption worked as an issue was in the 70s when MGR opposed Karunanidhi.
The minority vote consolidation is a solid factor as DMK and allies branded BJP as anti-minority. They secure around 13–15 per cent votes. But if there is no split in anti-DMK votes this time, easily we can unseat them.
“If you analyse DNA of DMK, it is anti-India, anti-Hindu, anti-Sanskrit, anti-Hindi etc.. BJP is growing. Now it is clear: all nationalist, patriotic, and anti-DMK forces want the alliance. If it happens, it is good for Tamil Nadu.”
Why there is a politics around anti-Hindi narrative in the State?
The anti-Hindi agitation started in the 1960s. Tamil Nadu Government did not accept three-language formula. There are only two languages — Tamil and English. Ironically, English has been destroying Tamil as only 30 to 35 per cent of the schools have Tamil as the medium. Now, Tamilians have come to the conclusion that the third language is also very important. And in National Education Policy(NEP) — it is not mandatory to learn Hindi but any one of the Indian languages.
Actually, the NEP wants to introduce Tamil in other states. When Kalyan Singh was the CM in Uttar Pradesh, he had given an open offer to the then CM of Tamil Nadu Karunanidhi in a public meeting. He said, “Uttar Pradesh is ready to accept 500 Tamil teachers. We are ready to learn Tamil. At the same time, as a reciprocal measure, the Tamil Nadu Government should accept 500 Hindi pandits from here. All the expenses will be taken care of by us.” Now, Stalin should show the guts and give the same offer to Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath for the spread of Tamil.
Can an allegedly North-centric party be ready to accept 500 teachers in Tamil? How could an anti-Tamil party conduct Kashi-Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi? Wherever PM Modi goes, his love for Tamil comes out and is appreciated worldwide. In Tamil Nadu, do you see any reciprocatory measures?
BJP Tamil Nadu President Annamalai mentioned that Stalin family-run schools themselves use a three-language policy.
Not only Stalin, all DMK-run schools have three language formulas. All private schools have CBSE syllabus, ICSE and all have three languages. Only Government schools and Government-aided schools keep two language forms because of which poor people are deprived of opportunity.
DMK is continuously protesting against delimitation claiming that the number of Parliament seats in the State will be reduced if delimitation is implemented. And they are also asking for a 25 year freeze on Lok Sabha seats. How do you see these allegations?
Delimitation is constitutionally mandatory. The Constitution has clearly advised that there must be a Delimitation Commission, which should be headed by either working or retired Supreme Court judge. In 1976, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi put a moratorium for 25 years on delimitation. And again in 2001, when Atal ji was the Prime Minister, it was extended for 25 years.
In 1971, the Indian population was 54 crores, now it is more than 140 crores. During the same time, Tamil Nadu’s population was 4 crore, now it is 8 crore. So for 4 crore we had 39 MPs and even for 8 crore also, we have 39 MPs — how is it possible? So there must be some revised norm based on population.
When Amit Shah visited Tamil Nadu last month, he declared that there will not be any reduction in seats. We will do this on a pro-rata basis. If South Indian States were victims of delimitation, then Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu would have revolted but he didn’t do anything. In Puducherry, All India N R Congress would have revolted. Only DMK Government is triggering this issue to hide its other misgivings such as TASMAC (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited) corruption.
“If Southern States were victims of delimitation, then Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu would have revolted but he didn’t do anything. In Puducherry, All India N R Congress would have revolted. Only DMK Govt is triggering this issue to hide its other misgivings such as TASMAC corruption”
There are also allegations that DMK has used Temple funds through the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE) money for election purposes?
There are more than 40,000 temples in Tamil Nadu. Nowhere in India, there are temples with this huge infrastructure, with large land holding, and heavy collections. In these temples, devotees present ornaments in gold to the deity. But where do those offerings go?
We are demanding white paper from the DMK Government asking from where and how so much funds is it raising from these temples, and where is it being spend? Unless the Government vacates its position from Hindu temples, we cannot save temples in Tamil Nadu.
Despite temple culture and strong Sanatan roots, DMK has been consistently making statements against Sanatan Dharma and Hindus. How do the Dravidian parties thrive with such a stand?
If we analyse, there is some dichotomy in the character of the State. Tamil Nadu, on the social side, is deeply religious. We are strongly spiritual. We have built 40,000 temples. Our forefathers, our kings, our emperors, they built such temples. Even today, lakhs and lakhs of people, undertake padyatras for several hundred miles to see Palani Karthikeya temple.
But on the political side, we vote for atheists. We vote for anti-Hindus. So Tamil Nadu society is different. Tamil Nadu politics is different. And another thing, Tamil Nadu is essentially multilingual. There are more than 20–25 per cent of the Telugus. In the Western districts of Tamil Nadu, more people speak Malayalam and even Kannada.
So how will it be broken?
It can be broken only by BJP, by nationalist approach and by Hindutva.
So you are confident that the NDA will win in 2026?
Yes, it is possible when anti-DMK votes don’t get split.
What BJP as a party is doing to consolidate that anti-DMK votes?
There are many small parties with us already. Now actor Vijay has started his party. I don’t know which side he will go. About AIADMK, our leader Amit Shah is dealing with them. So there is possibility that in near future we can have a strong, formidable alliance against the DMK.
You are looking for an alliance with AIADMK. We have seen that the state BJP President Annamalai has been very aggressive against both DMK and AIADMK in the past.
It was contextual. Annamalai’s position and all his statements were regarding 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
There is gossip in political corridors also that AIADMK is requesting or asking senior BJP leaders to cut down some powers of Annamalai and then only this alliance is possible. How is it true?
No party from outside can dictate terms on BJP. They cannot arm-twist the BJP leadership. We respect the sovereignty of other parties. We will not instruct who should be the General Secretary of AIADMK and who should be not. We will not intervene in their internal matters and expect the same from them.
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