NEW DELHI: Former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai's newly launched political movement, "We The Leaders", appears to have struck an immediate chord, attracting more than 8 lakh volunteers within hours of its launch after he formally quit the BJP on Friday.
Calling on people passionate about "education, health, sustainability, or youth leadership" to join, Annamalai unveiled the movement as the beginning of a new political journey aimed at building what he described as "common man politics".
Sharing the website link on X, the former IPS officer wrote, "Let's step up, take action, and be the change. Join here to begin our political movement!"
According to the movement's website, more than 8.55 lakh volunteers and over 50 grassroots leaders had joined within hours of its launch, signalling strong early interest in Annamalai's new initiative.
Annamalai earlier clarified that the movement is called "We The Leaders" and announced that the APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Ethics and Politics, based in Coimbatore, would function as an institution within the movement.
The initiative is built around what it calls the "Conscious Constituency Approach", which seeks to combine technology-driven governance with grassroots participation.
"At We The Leaders Foundation, we believe in a governance model that is rooted in conscious leadership, community engagement, and data-driven decision-making. The Conscious Constituency Approach is designed to bridge the gap between technological advancements and human-centric leadership, ensuring inclusive, sustainable, and impactful development in every constituency," the website states.
Announcing his departure from the BJP, Annamalai said he wanted to promote a "growth-oriented and culturally rooted" politics in Tamil Nadu and move away from what he described as "cult and dynastic" politics.
The 42-year-old leader said his movement would not be centred around personalities but around ideas.
"Let's change ourselves, and change will happen naturally... the movement's core principle is let's change, let's bring change (maruvom, maatruvom)," he said in a social media address.
Expressing his desire to move away from "cult politics", Annamalai said he would instead build a "common man" politics that prioritises people's needs.
At the same time, he insisted that the movement was not being launched to directly challenge existing parties.
"We are not here to compete with anyone. Let the ruling party and the opposition parties exist. They can express their policies, and we will express ours in due time," he said.
"Our politics is not for the sake of opposing. How we view the DMK, AIADMK, NTK, Seeman (NTK founder), Anbumani (PMK leader), G K Vasan (TMC Moopanar), A C Shanmugam, Paarivendhar, John Pandian, Krishnasamy, Vaiko, Premalatha madam - in Tamil Nadu, is exactly how I will view the Bharatiya Janata Party," he added.
Annamalai said his decision to quit the BJP was taken after discussions with senior party leaders, including Union home minister Amit Shah.
He claimed he had informed the BJP leadership of his intention to resign nearly 18 months ago but delayed the move until after fulfilling his election-related responsibilities.
"It was a great conflict whether I am a BJP person or a Tamilian. I told the party on December 4, 2024, that I am going to resign. The party asked me to finish the elections and then go," he said.
Describing his exit as consistent with Tamil cultural values, he added, "Even when leaving, stating it respectfully and leaving is our virtue."
Looking ahead, he outlined plans to build organisational strength before transitioning into formal party politics. He also said he would continue to prioritise Tamil Nadu's interests while maintaining his identity as both a proud Tamilian and an Indian.
In his resignation letter dated June 2 and addressed to Tamil Nadu BJP president Nitin Nabin, Annamalai wrote, "I do not want to burden the top leadership any further with my ongoing thoughts on the way forward for a growth-oriented and culturally rooted politics in Tamil Nadu."
His departure comes amid growing speculation about his political future following the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, where actor-turned-politician Vijay emerged as a significant force, outperforming several established political players in the state.
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