Interview/ Nainar Nagendran, BJP president in Tamil Nadu
THE MOOD WITHIN the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit shifted palpably after Nainar Nagendran took charge as state party president on April 12. Under his leadership, a fresh team is working closely with the AIADMK.
A veteran from southern Tamil Nadu, Nagendran is a former AIADMK leader who twice served as minister under J. Jayalalithaa. He is not as suave and articulate as his predecessor K. Annamalai, but his administrative experience and long track record of winning elections give him a quiet authority.
In an exclusive interview, Nagendran spoke to THE WEEK about his plans for the BJP in Tamil Nadu. Edited excerpts:
Q/ What are the challenges before you and the BJP?
A/ As the ruling party, the DMK will use its money and muscle power in the upcoming elections. We have to face that first. That is in fact the only challenge we have before us.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has found huge acceptance in Tamil Nadu since the day Union Home Minister Amit Shah came to Chennai and renewed the [BJP-AIADMK] alliance. The DMK alliance has been jittery since then.
Q/ The day you took charge as president, you said Annamalai was a storm and you were a breeze. Under Annamalai, the BJP turned into a significant force in Tamil Nadu in the past four years. There are great expectations from the party at this juncture. How do you plan to fulfil them?
A/ As you said, Annamalai’s performance in the past four years cannot be ignored. And before him, there was Tamilisai Soundararajan, who said, “Lotus will definitely bloom”, and travelled the length and breath of Tamil Nadu. There was also the tenure of Union minister L. Murugan, whose Vel Yatra took the party to new heights. As party presidents, C.P. Radhakrishnan and Pon Radhakrishnan, too, held yatras for the BJP’s growth.
At this juncture, all of us have only one aim: defeat the DMK. For that, we all have to come together as one team. We should have the maximum number of MLAs. In 2001, we had five MLAs; we now have four. My aim is to have the MLA count touch two digits.
Q/ Are you planning to hold yatras?
A/ There are only 12 months left for the polls. Strategising needs three months, and yatras need another three. Before all that, we must have alliance talks. And, within the BJP, a new national leadership will soon be elected. After that, we have to bring in changes in the state unit as per instructions from the national leadership. The core committee will be convened to decide plans. That committee is not in place yet. After it is formed, I will inform you whether I have plans for any yatra.
Q/ In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu, the BJP got the most number of votes from Coimbatore and Tirunelveli. These votes contributed significantly to the alliance’s 19 per cent vote share. So, can you say that the BJP’s growth in the state has been balanced?
A/ It is not like that. In Kanyakumari, we got close to 3.75 lakh votes. In Madurai we got more than two lakh votes. In many constituencies we came second. So, on an average, we have balanced growth across Tamil Nadu.
Q/ You are a powerful leader from the dominant Thevar community in the south, and people call you “pannaiyar” (landlord). There is talk that you were appointed as party chief to get Thevar votes.
A/ I was not given the post just because I come from the Thevar community. In 2001, I contested from Tirunelveli assembly constituency, where Saiva Vellala Pillai community is the majority. And then there are Devendrakula Vellalars; the Thevars are very small in number. I could manage to win because of the popularity of puratchi thalaiavi amma (Jayalalithaa). After that, I focused on people’s welfare, and they elected me thrice. I also lost twice―by 400 and 600 votes. So, it depends on how we get along with people, and not on the community one belongs to. It is not right to say that I am a powerful Thevar community leader; it is people power, and I represent every community in Tamil Nadu.
Q/ The trend in Tamil Nadu has been that dravidian parties leading an alliance form government even if they do not get a majority on their own. Will the BJP work to change this trend?
A/ With regard to Tamil Nadu, what you say is true. In 2006, the DMK had only 96 MLAs. The Congress supported from outside and the DMK formed government. From now on, it may be a neck-and-neck fight in Tamil Nadu. That is the trend as of today.
Q/ Will the BJP play a role in changing the trend [of dravidian parties coming to power even if they do not have majority on their own]?
A/ We will definitely give support to the AIADMK.
Q/ You were a minister in Jayalalithaa’s cabinet twice. After her death, how do you see the AIADMK?
A/ When amma was alive, the AIADMK was a strong party. Even she got angry with anyone, she would later bring them back into the party. Now Edappadi K. Palaniswami is also a leader like amma. He ensured that he is able to run the party for these many years and led the state as chief minister for four years.
Q/ You said Jayalalithaa brought people back into the party. Do you think Palaniswami, who is now in her position, will act like her?
A/ He suspended Thalavai Sundaram for six months. Sundaram waited with patience and later he was taken back into the party.
Q/ There are many others, like O. Panneerselvam and V.K. Sasikala, who are similarly waiting with patience.
A/ That is their internal party issue.
Q/ Do you think the alliance would be stronger if they are back in the AIADMK?
A/ If we have to bring down the DMK alliance, everyone will have to come together.
Q/ Does “everyone” include Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi and Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam?
A/ The elections are still many days away. Wait and watch.