Annamalai rules out floating new party, says he may quit BJP if ‘Conscience’ disagrees
Annamalai rules out floating new party, says he may quit BJP if ‘Conscience’ disagrees
Coimbatore: Former Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president K. Annamalai on October 31 dismissed reports that he may launch a new political outfit but admitted he was torn about his current position within the BJP.
Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore, Annamalai said he would remain in the party only as long as he felt aligned with its values. “I will stay if I like, or I will quit if I don’t and continue farming. No one can make a person stay in a party with a gun on his head. Politics is a voluntary mechanism and we are in it, spending our own money,” he said.
Annamalai, who joined the BJP after resigning from the Indian Police Service (IPS), said his faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah was the main reason for his entry into politics. “I joined the BJP and continue to remain in it with the confidence that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will bring pure politics to the state. Otherwise, there was no reason for me to quit my job and become a party worker,” he said.
Addressing speculation that he might float a new party, Annamalai said, “I am a first-generation politician from an agricultural family without any political backing. How can I start a new party? I know my limits.”
However, he added that his political journey had not been without moral dilemmas. “Sometimes I find myself speaking against my conscience because I’m asked to. Still, there are some things one cannot tolerate. Let’s wait and see. Good things will happen,” he remarked.
Annamalai also said that while several AIADMK leaders continued to make personal attacks against him, he had chosen restraint. “I am keeping quiet because of the word I gave to Amit Shah. It would take me two minutes to respond, but everyone has a Lakshman Rekha. When the time comes, I will talk,” he said.
When asked about the recent expulsion of senior AIADMK leader K.A. Sengottaiyan, Annamalai said, “We saw several political developments at the Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar guru pooja on Thursday. I am also waiting and watching as a Karyakarta of the BJP.”
He stressed that all BJP workers shared a common goal, ensuring the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) victory in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Sengottaiyan was expelled from the AIADMK on October 31, a day after he met with other former senior leaders including O. Panneerselvam, T.T.V. Dhinakaran and V.K. Sasikala at a function commemorating freedom fighter Muthuramalinga Thevar at Pasumpon.
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Karnataka police constable arrested for forging passport verification records
Mangaluru: A police constable attached to the Vitla Police Station has been arrested for allegedly forging documents and manipulating passport verification records to obtain a clearance certificate from the authorities.
Police said on Tuesday that a person identified as Shakti Das, who claimed to be residing within the jurisdiction of the Vitla Police Station, first applied for a passport in February 2025.
During police verification, it was found that the address mentioned in the application did not match official records, following which the application was not recommended.
In June 2025, Shakti Das reportedly submitted a second passport application. Police alleged that Pradeep, a staff member at the Vitla Police Station, processed the reapplication without informing the concerned beat constable, Sabu Mirji, who was responsible for verifying the applicant’s address.
Pradeep allegedly prepared a verification report in the name of the beat constable, forged his signature, secured approval from senior officers, and forwarded the report. He is also accused of destroying verification-related documents to conceal the irregularities.
As per the report, the matter came to light on December 19 during a scrutiny of records. Police said the acts amounted to criminal breach of trust, as a crucial identity document issued by the Central government was fraudulently obtained.
Police further said that Shakti Das claims to hail from West Bengal, and his address is currently being verified.
Based on the findings, Vitla Police have registered a case against Pradeep and passport holder Shakti Das under Sections 336, 337, 316(5), and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Pradeep has been arrested and produced before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody. Further investigation is underway, police said.
