Chennai:
As speculation intensifies over former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai’s political future, some of his supporters are drawing parallels with one of the most defining rivalries in Tamil Nadu’s history — between former chief ministers MG Ramachandran (MGR) and M Karunanidhi.
Sources close to Annamalai say that if he eventually exits the BJP and launches his own party, Tamil Nadu could witness a contest between two non-Dravidian formations led by the state’s two most-popular contemporary figures, TVK’s Vijay and K Annamalai.
“Vijay versus Annamalai could turn into a similar battle between MGR and Karunanidhi, though these young leaders are no match for the late icons,” a source close to Annamalai told NDTV.
Read: K Annamalai Likely To Quit BJP, Launch Own Party: Sources
The comparison comes against the backdrop of a dramatic turn of events in Tamil Nadu politics.
After DMK founder CN Annadurai ended Congress dominance in 1967, Tamil Nadu politics largely evolved into a contest between MGR and Karunanidhi.
Following his split from the DMK and the AIADMK’s formation, MGR won three successive assembly elections and remained chief minister until he died in 1987. Karunanidhi returned to power after MGR’s death and became chief minister five times.
Nearly six decades later, the state’s political landscape saw another upheaval as TVK founder and actor-turned-politician Vijay sidelined both the DMK and AIADMK in elections. The two Dravidian parties that dominated Tamil Nadu politics for decades now find themselves in an unfamiliar territory.
The AIADMK’s troubles appear particularly acute.
The party has suffered four successive electoral defeats since the death of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa. More recently, it saw an internal rebellion as 25 MLAs reportedly voted in favour of the TVK government, defying the party position after attempts to enter into a power-agreement arrangement with Vijay failed.
Against this backdrop, Annamalai’s supporters believe that there is a political space for a new force.
Sources indicate that while the BJP’s Hindutva politics has historically struggled to gain traction in Tamil Nadu, Annamalai’s proposed political platform could be built around “Tamil nationalism and governance.”
Read: BJP Leader Annamalai To Launch “New Movement” In Tamil Nadu: Sources
“Annamalai’s politics will be Tamil nationalism politics, and this we believe would resonate with voters,” said a leader familiar with the discussions.
Such a shift would mark a significant departure from the BJP’s traditional messaging in the state and could help Annamalai distance himself from perceptions that have limited the party’s growth in Tamil Nadu.
Supporters also point to the contrasting strengths of Vijay and Annamalai.
While Vijay enjoys a cult following that many compare to much beyond MGR’s mass appeal during his cinematic heyday, Annamalai is seen as having developed a substantial following among younger voters through his political campaigns, social media presence, and grassroots outreach.
Sources say that the former IPS officer’s proposed people’s movement, which is expected to be launched shortly, is intended to create a new generation of politically aware volunteers and leaders ahead of any future party launch.
Some supporters draw a parallel with how Karunanidhi used cinema and literature to popularise Dravidian ideology and social justice principles, arguing that Annamalai is similarly trying to build a political ecosystem before formally entering electoral politics on his own terms.
Political strategist Aspire Swaminathan believes Annamalai could potentially occupy a political space that remains largely unclaimed.
“What remains insufficiently occupied is a fifth space: a clean, governance-first, Tamil-proud, non-dynastic, non-cinematic political alternative,” he said. “This is the space Annamalai could target if he chooses to walk away.”
Read: ‘Want Cordial Separation’: What Annamalai Told BJP President Nitin Nabin
According to Swaminathan, the potential constituency for such politics extends beyond traditional BJP supporters. “It is not simply die-hard BJP voters. It is not merely anti-DMK sentiment. The potential audience is larger and more interesting,” he argued.
The ruling DMK, however, appears unimpressed.
“We don’t know what’s in Annamalai’s mind. Dravidian ideology is totally different. It is about Tamil culture and ideology. Let us see whether Annamalai has understood this,” DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan told NDTV.
Annamalai hasn’t yet announced any plan to leave the BJP. Sources close to him insist that Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains his political inspiration and that there is no immediate plan to launch a political party.
Yet, with a people’s movement reportedly in the works and political speculation mounting, Tamil Nadu’s political class is closely watching whether one of the BJP’s most recognisable faces in the South is preparing for a journey beyond the saffron fold.
If that happens, the state may witness the emergence of a new rivalry — one that is not shaped by the Dravidian movement that has dominated Tamil Nadu politics for generations, but by two leaders seeking to define what comes after it.
