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Annamalai’s “En Mann En Makkal” Padayatra: Will it help BJP in Tamilnadu? 

Annamalai padayatra

The Tamil Nadu BJP launched a six-month-long padayatra ‘En Mann, En Makkal’ (என் மண்; என் மக்கள்) (My Land, My People) on July 28 seeking a decisive mandate in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections and to re-elect Narendra Modi for the third term as Prime Minister. The padayatra will cover around 1780 km, which covers all 39 parliamentary constituencies and 234 assembly constituencies of Tamil Nadu. Until now, when the third phase finished, padayatra has covered 100 assembly constituencies of Tamil Nadu. 

The Start

The Union Home Minister and senior party leader Amit Shah flagged off the yatra from the Hindu’s pilgrimage town Rameswaram on July 28 and walked with Annamalai for half a kilometre. They released the booklet named “What Did Modi Do” containing the contribution of the Narendra Modi Government to Tamil Nadu for the last nine years. The Tamil Nadu BJP plans to distribute more than 10 lakh copies of the booklet to the public.

Purpose of Padayatra 

The main purpose of embarking the padayatra is stated as follows:

  • Taking the development initiatives and welfare schemes to the public, which the Narendra Modi government did for the last nine years.
  • To expose the DMK government’s deep-rooted corruption, dynasty politics, family business and make the people understand how the DMK has been cheating them since 1967.
  • To inculcate the Nationalism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi across Tamil Nadu. 
  • The padayatra will carry out a “pugaar petti” (complaint box) to collect the complaints and grievances from the issues the people face under the DMK rule. 
  • BJP cadres will collect holy soil from major pilgrimage sites for an idol of ‘Tamil Mother’ with it. 

Phases of Padayatra and Electoral Strategy

The padayatra will be carried out in five phases. During the yatra, 11 major meetings will be conducted where Union Ministers and senior BJP leaders will address the crowd. Moreover, Annamalai plans to speak in more than 100 street campaigns to connect with the grassroots level. We must note that Tamil Nadu has a unique, diverse socio-communal political landscape. The existing vote-bank politics is based on the caste group’s allegiance to the regional parties like Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIDMK).

The padayatra will be attempting to consolidate a caste-based vote-bank based on social engineering. The Dindigul, Theni, Madurai, Virudhunagar, and Sivagangai districts have mixed community-based voters. In these districts, Mukkulathor, Devendrakula Vellalar, and Nadars are the prominent communities. Among that, the majority of Mukkulathors have been backing the AIADMK. The electoral strategy of the BJP is to appease these dominant OBC communities as their vote base. 

Another Caste, a dominant caste from the Dalit community, Devendrakula Vellalars are spread over Dindigul, Tirunelveli, and Tenkasi. Over the past few years, the BJP has succeeded in making inroads into the community’s vote bank. Although the BJP successfully made leaders from the Nadar community, they were unable to cater the votes. Especially in Kanniyakumari, Rameswaram, and Thoothukudi districts, Nadar and fishermen communities are substantial in numbers. In the long term, BJP would like to target them as their core voter base in southern Tamil Nadu. 

Third Phase Finished 

The revised third phase was successfully finished on November 8. 

The third phase was started on November 3rd from Karur. On the 4th the padayatra went through Kulithalai and Krishnayapuram. On 5th, the padayatra went through Manaparai and Viralimalai. On the 6th, the padayatra went through Gandharvakottai and Pudukottai. On the 7th, the padayatra went through Thiruverumbur and Srirangam. The last one, the eight-day, it went through the western and eastern parts of Tiruchirappalli.

Responses from the Public

The people of Gandharvakottai, a rural constituency in the Pudhukottai district, responded well to the padayatra. The TN BJP promise they will serve and deliver the promises for the betterment.  

The people of Gandharvakottai demanded a new reserve road from Thanjavur to Pudukottai to Rameswaram, cutting a sub-channel from the Cauvery River from Thanjavur Sengipatti to Gandharvakottai. The people requested irrigation facilities for their agricultural land, which they depend on their livelihood. And they also asked to take measures to upgrade the Taluk Hospital with the latest equipment.

A lot of young married couples intercepted Annamalai during padayatra for naming their newborn baby, which touched the cadre’s heart. 

The BJP Cadres are giving warm reception across the State. It is evident that many people are coming forward to register their complaints regarding issues from corruption to public scheme beneficiaries. 

Annamalai’s Emerging Leadership 

Annamalai said, ‘Ideologically, DMK voters will not vote for the BJP. I see it is an attempt to eat into the AIADMK vote share.” He is clear in his apprehension about the ideological schism between Dravidian ideology and Hindutva discourse in Tamil Nadu Politics. He also opined that, over the days, there is not such a huge impact as expected, but it will have a small impact on the voters who have anti-incumbency feelings towards the DMK government as the padayatra will proceed towards the last phase. 

During the padayatra speech, Annamalai proclaimed that the BJP is the only party which is daring enough to ask questions to DMK. People gradually understood that the BJP is the one who put the right questions to DMK. 

Moreover, during the padayatra, Annamalai projected himself as the working-class leader. He speaks to them affectionately wherever he goes and indulges in their work to know their difficulties. 

Annamalai speaks in the language of common people by articulating their daily issues to connect with them. He spoke about the DMK government’s multiple-time price hike on Milk, Curd, ghee, electricity bills and other items, which affects the common people. 

The Chola kings built the “Gothandarama” temple a thousand years ago to teach a lesson to the ignorant who say that Rama and Tamil Nadu are not related. Modi Govt sends free train to Ayodhya for darshan. If BJP comes to power, the statue of Alwars will be installed in Srirangam. This statement clearly defines the envisaged path of spiritual politics on the Dravidian land.

Annamalai’s press conferences and street speeches explicate maturity in understanding politics from the lens of Tamil Nadu’s socioeconomic and cultural perspective. 

Criticism on Padayatra 

Tamil Nadu CM Stalin hit out at the BJP’s padayatra stating, “Did the Home Minister visit Manipur in the past two months and organise a peace march? He was not able to go there?” Further, he stated this yatra is to wash away the sins of the Gujarat 2002 riots and the ongoing Manipur conflict. 

TN Minister Senthil Balaji attacked Modi and proclaimed Prime Minister Mod’s double stand on corruption and criminal cases. He asked why a lot of BJP MPs and Ministers are facing cases. Isnt? Does Mr. Shah have the guts to ask Modi about it?”

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) founder Thol. Thirumavalavan quipped that Annamalai’s sugar level could have increased, and that is why he wanted to go for a long walk. Naam Thamizhar Katchi (NTK) chief co-ordinator Seeman expressed that nothing is going to happen even if the entire BJP cadres walk in Tamil Nadu their whole life. It is an utter waste of their time and energy. 

The AIADMK leadership said that the yatra of Annamalai was not going to make any difference in the political landscape of Tamil Nadu. It was just for self-publicity to the IPS officer-turned-politician. Political Activist and Analyst Shankar said, “Annamalai is making a pitch against the DMK. The AIADMK is already winning a majority of the anti-DMK votes.” Annamalai failed to convert anti-DMK votes to BJP. His libel attack on AIADMK leaders and the party reached a stage where BJP’s high command from New Delhi had to intervene to stop him. 

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