The resignation comes in the wake of youtube video release alleging sexual misconduct by the BJP leader Raghavan, who has been the young RSS face of the TN BJP unit.

BJP office-bearers in the party headquarters at Kamalalayam were in a state of shock after the video surfaced. The video was released by BJP worker Madan, who had recently joined the party in the presence of J P Nadda. Madan in his post said that the sexual abuse video is released after getting the consent of the state president Annamalai.

After submitting his resignation, K T Raghavan tweeted that he had resigned from the party post after meeting the state president Annamalai. The video is aimed at tarnishing my image and my affiliation with my party. He also said that he had been in the political life for three decades with a clean image. “Dharma will triumph, and these are baseless frivolous allegations and I will legally face this,” Raghavan, tweeted.

According to informed BJP sources, a cold war has been simmering between the BJP functionaries for the past two years. Gossips of state BJP leaders seeking sexual favours from BJP women functionaries had been in the air and this one had rattled the image of the party, sources said. State president Annamalai has informed the BJP top brass in Delhi over the incident and BJP is investigating the issue in detail. “So far no complaint has been received from any woman BJP worker nor a police complaint lodged by any victim. The party leaders had instructed Raghavan to resign owing to moral responsibility. Other political parties in TN had defended their party seniors, but in BJP we want to prove that our party is safe for women and those who are practising Hindu Dharma,” an informed BJP senior told DT Next.

Meanwhile, BJP president Annamalai in a statement said that the party has formed a probe committee to be led by state secretary Malarkodi. The authenticity of the video that was released by Madhan Ravichandran will be verified and a probe will be conducted for further necessary action, the statement said. The statement also said Raghavan had denied the allegations and has submitted that he will legally prove his innocence and till then, he had voluntarily submitted his resignation, Annamalai said.