K. Annamalai
| Photo Credit: M. PERIASAMY

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay is only echoing the principles of Dravidian parties, and there is nothing new in his party’s ideological stance, BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai said here on Sunday.

Mr. Annamalai arrived at the Chennai International Airport after completing a higher education programme at the University of Oxford in England. Addressing the mediapersons, he said: “Vijay has entered politics with the motive of serving the people. I welcome him. Our leaders have replied to his criticisms against the BJP. He has just finished conducting the first State-level conference of his party. But how many times has he come out since? I will respond to his criticisms once he comes to active politics. We are not afraid of anyone. The BJP is strong on its own.”

Responding to a question on Udhayanidhi Stalin’s elevation as Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Annamalai said: “The DMK is increasingly becoming dependent on one family. There is no space for talent available outside the family.” While responding to a question on inducting V. Senthilbalaji into the Council of Ministers after he was released on bail in the alleged cash-for-jobs scam, he said: “The DMK and the AAP are the only two parties in India that re-induct into the Cabinet somebody against whom a charge sheet has been filed.”

Mr. Annamalai also said the BJP and Seeman’s NTK are travelling in different paths. “The strength of the BJP across the country is clearly proven by its performance in the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections. The 2026 Assembly election in Tamil Nadu will be historic. Our party’s membership in Tamil Nadu has grown nearly eight times in the last few years,” he said.

Further, he urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to form a high-level committee of scientists to study the impact of global warming and climate change on Chennai and delta districts, which have become increasingly disaster prone in recent years.