BJP to promote ex-cop Annamalai as its face in TN with a royal welcome

CHENNAI: The State unit of the BJP is organising a kind of royal welcome to K Annamalai who will be assuming charge as its president on July 16 here and it is clear that the party’s national leadership wishes to promote him as the BJP’s face in Tamil Nadu.

The party’s intent is evident from the mega arrangements being made for welcoming him throughout his way from Coimbatore. For the first time, such a reception is being accorded to a person even before he formally assumes charge.

At BJP headquarters here, on July 16, he will be received with 'poornakumbham honour’. Besides L Murugan, the former president of BJP's Tamil Nadu unit who has assumed charge as a Union Minister, party's senior leaders CT Ravi, P Sudhakar Reddy, L Ganesan, Pon Radhakrishnan, CP Radhakrishnan, H Raja, BJP legislature party leader Nainar Nagenthran and others will be receiving Annamalai at party's State headquarters.

When he joined the BJP 11 months ago, there were speculations that the party might go it alone in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and Annamalai was expected to be the chief ministerial candidate of the party in the State.  However, Annamalai was made a vice president just five days after he joined the party and he unsuccessfully contested Assembly elections from Aravakurichi Assembly constituency a few months ago.

The clean image about Annamalai and the goodwill he earned as an IPS officer besides as a motivational speaker among the youth are expected to help the growth of the party in Tamil Nadu in the coming years.

Annamalai will start from Coimbatore on Wednesday morning and will reach Chennai after visiting Palladam, Tirupur, Perundurai, Erode, Sangagiri, Salem, Namakkal, Paramathi Velur, Karur and Kulithalai.

On July 15, Annamalai will be given a warm reception by the party cadre at Trichy. From there he will be reaching party headquarters in Chennai on July 16 by visiting Perambalur, Veppur, Ulundurpet, Villupuram, Vikravandi, Tindivanam, Melmaruvathur, Madurantakam, Chengalpattu, Guduvanchery, Tambaram, Pallavaram, Alandur, and Saidapet. In all places, district office bearers of the BJP will be giving reception to Annamalai.