TN BJP suffers fresh setback as 13 IT cell office-bearers quit, likely to join AIADMK

BJP's Tamil Nadu BJP state President K. Annamalai has been claiming an euphoric growth in the state, but the state IT cell is fast losing its staff with 13 more office-bearers quitting on Wednesday in wake of its state President and Secretary's departure.

The new leaders to quit on Wednesday include the party's Chennai West District IT unit chief Orathi Anbarasu, as well as 10 Secretaries and two Vice Presidents of the unit. All 13 are likely to join the AIADMK in the footsteps of party IT Cell President C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar and state Secretary Dilip Kannan who resigned and joined the AIADMK.

Annamalai had stated that his BJP can also poach from the other side, adding that AIADMK taking BJP leaders into its fold is a sign that the party was growing in Tamil Nadu.

Anbarasu, after leaving, said: "An unusual situation has prevailed in the party so far and for the past few days many people have been contacting me. Now I have to inform everyone about my situation. I have travelled with the BJP for many years. Everyone around me knows that party responsibility is only for a few years, and I am not a person looking for a position. I hope you all know my work. It amazes me how I have faced threats and complaints against me for so long."

In the statement, he also said that he was not joining the DMK and that he "do not want to fall into the machinations of selfish people who had classified him as unworthy".

"Respecting the thoughts of my dear brothers who are working with me in the party. It has been decided to travel along with our beloved CTR Nirmal Kumar," he added.

The resignation of 13 more leaders from the BJP is indeed a jolt to the saffron party even as the national leadership has commenced firefighting operations with party President, J.P. Nadda and General Secretary in charge of Tamil Nadu C.T. Ravi commencing discussions with AIADMK's interim General Secretary K. Palaniswami.