Former IPS Officer Annamalai joins BJP in Delhi
New Delhi: Former IPS officer Kuppusamy Annamalai joined the BJP on Tuesday, asserting that he will work to bring the "nationalist spirit" to Tamil Nadu.
Joining the BJP at its national headquarters here, Annamalai heaped praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he embodies a leader's qualities of fearlessness, courage, knowledge and giving spirit.
"I will work to strengthen what the BJP stands for and to bring that nationalist spirit to the state of Tamil Nadu," the 36-year-old former police officer, who has been involved in social work since quitting the IPS, told reporters.
BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao, who is his party's in-charge for the state, said the party has been attracting people from different segments into its fold in the state, which has been traditionally dominated by the two Dravidian parties, AIADMK and DMK.
He said it is very important to strengthen nationalist movement in Tamil Nadu, which will go to the assembly polls in the first half of the next year. Tamil Nadu BJP chief L Murugan was also present at the joining ceremony. Annamalai later met BJP national president J P Nadda.
Nadda had on Monday assailed the opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu, accusing it of being a "sheltering ground for people not working in the interest of the nation" and "always inciting feelings against the national spirit."
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Rickelton's ton in vain as SRH beat MI by 6 wickets
Mumbai (PTI): Ryan Rickelton's whirlwind unbeaten ton was overshadowed by Heinrich Klaasen's unbeaten 65 as Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Mumbai Indians by six wickets in an IPL match here on Wednesday.
Chasing an imposing 244-run target, Travis Head (76 off 30) and Abhishek Sharma (45 off 24) shared 129 runs for the opening wicket to set the platform for SRH.
Klaasen (65 not out off 30 balls) then displayed his all-round hitting abilities to guide SRH home with the help of Nitish Kumar Reddy (21) and Salil Arora (30 not out off 10) in 18.4 overs.
Earlier, Rickelton's knock powered MI to 243 for five.
MI rode on a 93-run stand between Rickelton (123 not out off 55 balls) and Will Jacks (46 off 22) in 7.1 overs for the opening stand to power the side.
MI skipper Hardik Pandya scored a valuable 31 off 15 balls before being dismissed.
Praful Hinge (2/54), Eshan Malinga (1/29), Sakib Hasan (1/39) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1/31) were the wicket-takers for SRH.
Brief Scores:
Mumbai Indian: 243 for 5 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickelton 123 not out; Praful Hinge 2/54).
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 249 for 4 in 18.4 overs (Travis Head 76, Heinrich Klaasen 65 not out; AM Ghazanfar 2/51).
