Achieve something in career before jumping into politics, says Annamalai

BENGALURU:  “Electoral politics is not easy. Enrolling as a party member, climbing up the ladder, and getting tickets to contest elections is not easy. There were more than 40 aspirants who had applied for an MLA ticket from our party. However, if you are achieving something meaningful in your career and make a distinct mark for yourself, then if you jump into politics, the journey will be easy,” said Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, who is also the poll co-in charge for the party in Karnataka. 

Interacting with hundreds of civil service aspirants organised by Thinkers Forum here on Wednesday, Annamalai also suggested that financial stability is important and those willing to plunge into politics do not depend on the party to look after them and their family. 

Without naming any political party, he called upon the youth to cast their votes for the party that is progressive, transformative and always forward-looking, and requested them to spare some time to understand the political parties. He also asked them to check the profiles of candidates and give more importance to the party than those in the fray.

Replying to queries from the aspiring civil servants, on which is better - being a bureaucrat or a politician, Annamalai said, “If you are willing to become a civil servant, go for it. However, in that journey, your mind will tend to change. That is why the civil services gives you multiple options in the journey - like you can change the department, you can go on central deputation, you can go abroad and get another degree and you can take a break and join an NGO and return back to work. While I was in that juncture, I took a break, set up an NGO and then later was pulled into politics, and it was not planned.”