A profitable arbitrator and orator, the 62-year-old chief has by no means tasted electoral victory in her 5 makes an attempt together with the 2019 Lok Sabha polls when she misplaced to DMK’s Kanimozhi by a margin of over 3 lakh votes. This time, Tamilisai is up towards DMK’s sitting MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian in Chennai South.
For the BJP, it’s one other measure of the “desperation” to make an electoral affect in Tamil Nadu, which has spurned its overtures to this point. In a state the place ladies voters (3,14,85,724) outnumber males (3,03,996,330), the BJP has been projecting one other lady, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, as its face for a while.
Left with out the assist of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the BJP is seemingly enjoying its final card with Tamilisai’s comeback for maximising electoral positive aspects.
In 2019, the BJP adopted an identical transfer in Kerala when the then Mizoram governor Kummanam Rajasekharan resigned from his publish solely to lose towards Shashi Tharoor at Thiruvananthapuram.
“Nobody expected it; it came all of a sudden. BJP is very weak in Tamil Nadu, and she is popular. She is not a stalwart in the BJP. But they wanted her to contest. And that is why she was taken away from here,” Hyderabad-based political commentator Papa Rao advised ThePrint.
The Tamil Nadu BJP unit echoes the identical sentiment. “There is a tough election to fight in Tamil Nadu. All over India, everyone knows that BJP is returning to power. Tamil Nadu has always been very tough for the BJP. So, we need prominent and good candidates who can fight. That is why, I think the leadership would have taken the decision,” BJP state spokesperson Narayan Thirupathy mentioned.
After asserting her resolution to resign, Tamilisai Monday mentioned she resigned of her personal volition and there was no strain. On Wednesday, she rejoined the occasion in Chennai within the presence of occasion chief Okay. Annamalai, and Union ministers L. Murugan and G Kishan Reddy.
“I am in my happiest mood now. I don’t think I have left a very luxurious life and a constitutional post because I love serving the people. I admire our honourable Prime Minister. The way he gets connected with the people; to do service directly to the people. I am not saying, governors are not serving the people. But directly as a ‘karyakartha’ (worker), expressing my political views, and taking forward the political challenges, I was unable to do all that,” Tamilisai mentioned at Kamalalayam, the BJP headquarters in Chennai.
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‘Always acted as a BJP cadre’
Tamilisai all the time acted as a politician even throughout her tenure because the Telangana governor, says Chinnappan, a media analyst and former head of the visible communication division of Chennai’s Loyola School.
“Even after she was appointed a governor, she was commenting about Tamil Nadu politics. Just like a BJP cadre, she was giving opinions about the party and other affairs,” Chinnappan mentioned, including that many occasions Tamilisai was behaving because the Tamil Nadu BJP chief.
On the top of the Sanatan Dharma row, Tamilisai had promptly reacted to the speech of DMK chief Udhayanidhi Stalin. Calling Udhayanidhi’s remarks ‘mischievous and ignorant’, Tamilisai alleged that the Dravidian occasion is discriminating towards the Hindus within the state.
She has persistently supported the Nationwide Eligibility-cum-Entrance Take a look at (NEET), which is opposed by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) authorities in Tamil Nadu.
Chinnappan opined that Tamilisai can have a lot benefit in comparison with different BJP candidates attributable to her expertise. “She has made it clear that she has an interest in active political life. She must have promised the BJP high command that she can bring success to the NDA, and she can campaign for other candidates as well,” he mentioned.
Her sudden return additionally means that the occasion’s present state chief could also be sidelined shortly following the election, he added.
“She has a good rapport with the other political parties. The AIADMK was sidelined in the NDA, and the reason they are not willing to come to the BJP is because of their opposition towards Annamalai. If Tamilisai was in his place, that alliance must have been sustained,” Chinnappan mentioned.
Whereas snapping ties with the BJP in September 2023, one of many key points that the AIADMK raised was its variations with Annamalai. AIADMK leaders have lashed out at Annamalai on a number of events for his lack of respect for the allies and its former leaders.
In October 2023, Tamilisai attended a Navaratri celebration held in actor Rajinikanth’s home together with ousted AIADMK chief O. Panneerselvam and Durga Stalin, spouse of Chief Minister M.Okay. Stalin.
Chinnappan mentioned that the occasion’s excessive command has disagreements with Annamalai and that it was seen in PM Modi’s Coimbatore rally, the place a comparatively small crowd gathered.
He added that whereas Tamilisai brings advantages for the BJP in Tamil Nadu, she might not style electoral success because the sitting DMK MP enjoys an enormous assist base in Chennai South, dominated by the Brahmin neighborhood.
In 2019, writer-turned politician Thangapandian had gained with over 5 lakh votes towards his AIADMK rival. Since 1957, the constituency has voted for DMK (7 occasions) adopted by Congress (4) and AIADMK (2).
‘Tall leader’ & BJP Nari Shakthi
Expressing confidence over her return, BJP functionary Amar Prasad Reddy mentioned that Tamilisai is a tall chief and that the state management is welcoming her with a lot respect.
“She is bold, and her political moves will always yield good results,” Reddy advised ThePrint, including that her presence will guarantee ‘Nari Shakthi’ within the occasion actions.
Carefully related to the BJP since her youth, the doctor-turned-politician has served many posts within the occasion for the reason that late Nineteen Nineties. She was elevated because the occasion’s common secretary in 2007 and subsequently its vice-president ( 2010) and nationwide secretary (2013). Tamilisai served because the occasion state chief from 2014 to 2019, when she was chosen to develop into Telangana governor.
“She was nurturing her political ambition for a long time. Though her father was a Congressman, she joined the BJP and she was expressing her desire either to become an MLA or MP,” Chinnappan mentioned.
BJP spokesperson Thirupathy mentioned that her presence will enhance the occasion cadre and the general public alike as she is a ‘familiar face’. “She is the woman face of TN BJP. She served the party very well from the beginning,” he mentioned.
Tamilisai contested within the state polls in 2006, 2011, and 2016 and within the 2009 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, however misplaced every time.
In 2006, Tamilisai completed fourth at Radhapuram with 4.70 % votes. 5 years on, she got here third at Velachery with a vote share of 4.63. In 2016, her vote share rose to 11.19 % in Virugampakkam. Nevertheless, this time too she got here third after AIADMK and DMK candidates.
In 2009, she unsuccessfully contested from Chennai North and obtained 3.54 % of votes. In 2019, she was routed in Tuticorin regardless of the BJP having a partnership with the AIADMK.
‘Can’t create any ripples in hometown’
Born to an influential Nadar household at Nagercoil in Kanniyakumari district, Tamilisai is the daughter of former Congress MP Anandan Kumari. Kanniyakumari’s sitting Congress MP Vijay Vasanth and his father and former MP H. Vasanthkumar are shut relations of Tamilisai.
Whereas Nagercoil, dominated by the Nadars, remembers her father and different members of the family, native residents say that Tamilisai has little maintain as she spent most of her life in Chennai and that the constituency historically helps the Congress. In reality, Tamilisai had obtained related to the BJP throughout her medical training in Chennai.
“Her father Kumari Anandan who was an MP and Congress veteran couldn’t digest her decision to join the BJP. Both were not on talking terms for a long period. They became close again after she got power and status in the BJP,” mentioned Tinsley, a Nagercoil resident. “She doesn’t have much of a hold here politically.”
Tamilisai’s wedding ceremony was attended by each MGR, the then CM and opposition chief Karunanidhi, he added.
Tenure as Telangana governor
Tamilisai’s tenure because the Telangana governor was marred with controversies attributable to her frequent run-ins with the earlier BRS authorities.
In March 2023, the BRS authorities moved the Supreme Court docket towards her looking for route for the governor to clear 10 pending payments. As per the state, seven of the ten payments have been pending for over six months. Tamilisai then went on to clear three payments in a month.
The governor had created an deadlock when she rejected BRS nominees Dasoju Sravan Kumar and Okay. Satyanarayana to the publish of MLCs below the governor quota in September. The 2 nominees later approached the excessive courtroom towards the governor.
In her Republic speech this 12 months, Tamilisai known as the BRS authorities ‘dictatorial’ and mentioned Telangana put an finish to the rule ‘run against the constitutional spirit’ within the 2023 election.
“In all the states where there are non-BJP governments and BJP governors, the issue is there. It’s the same problem. The intensity of the problem might be different. But it is there,” political commentator Papa Rao mentioned.
However Tamilisai had cooperated with the brand new Congress authorities, he mentioned.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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