BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai said on Friday that he would abide by the national leadership’s decision on his contesting in the Lok Sabha election in Tamil Nadu.
“I have no preference for any constituency. It would be the decision of the party’s national leadership. I will play whatever role I am asked to do,” he told reporters.
Asked about senior AIADMK leader K.P. Munusamy’s challenge to the BJP to field Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and S. Jaishankar from any Lok Sabha constituency in the State to prove that the party had grown, Mr. Annamalai said it was not necessary for the party to field them to prove its strength.
“We have district presidents and office-bearers who have worked hard and why can’t we field them? People are jealous about our growth and making such statements. The 2024 Lok Sabha election would prove our strength in the State,” he said.
Mr. Annamalai alleged that Tamil Nadu had become the drug capital of India. Citing the alleged involvement of expelled DMK functionary Jaffar Sadiq in a drug cartel and the seizure of 30 kg of methamphetamine in Madurai, he said a widespread network of Sadiq was being exposed. He also questioned the silence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on the issue.