Annamalai unhappy with constituencies allocated by AIADMK

Former BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai has conveyed to the party national leadership his “extreme” displeasure over the constituencies allocated by the AIADMK for the April 23 Assembly election.

He is also learnt to have requested the leadership not to identify any seat for him as he had decided against contesting. He would, however, continue to work “as a party karyakarta for all BJP and NDA  candidates”.

Sources told The Hindu that Mr. Annamalai was dissatisfied with the BJP having been asked for its preferred seats only after the AIADMK  finalised constituencies for two others allies. He told the leadership that the BJP’s choices and prospects were “limited” by the condition that it could not seek seats represented by AIADMK MLAs. The constituencies allotted to the BJP were not those where the party was growing or supposed to grow, the sources quoted Mr. Annamalai as having said in his message. The BJP being offered constituencies like Tiruvannamalai  would only be advantageous to the ruling DMK, he is learnt to have said.

Likewise, he pointed out that the TMC(M) was given three seats represented by Ministers and two where the AIADMK had not won in the last 20 years. The Indiya Jananayaka Katchi and the New Justice Party, too, were given unfavourable seats, he said. Besides, the Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, a party representing the Devendra Kula Vellalars, was given Rajapalayam, a general constituency. He reportedly said he would meet the party leadership on May 4 (when the results will be declared) to take a decision.

When The Hindu contacted Mr. Annamalai, he said he had conveyed his views to the leadership. “I will remain loyal to Prime Minister Narendra  Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah,” he said, without elaborating further.