Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu): "On this very day in April 2001, after I garlanded the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar and left for Chennai, Jayalalithaa had given me the opportunity to contest the then assembly elections. Now, 25 years later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have entrusted me with the responsibility of serving as the BJP state president," said Tamil Nadu's new BJP president Nainar Nagendran after garlanding the Ambedkar statue at the Tirunelveli Junction bus stand, as a mark of tribute on behalf of the Nellai North district BJP.
Remembering the visionary leader on his 135th birth anniversary, MLA Nagendran slammed Congress for 'not giving Ambedkar due respect in the Constituent Assembly'. "Babasaheb Ambedkar was the one who drafted the Constitution. But the Congress did not give him his due place in the Constituent Assembly. In Tamil Nadu, statues of various leaders including Ambedkar are enclosed in wire cages. The state government should take steps to remove these cages," he said.
Asked whether BJP would settle for the Deputy Chief Minister post if the AIADMK-BJP alliance secures a majority and forms government in 2026, Nagendran said, "The alliance has come together naturally, without any friction. There is still a year left for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. As of now, no discussions have been held regarding positions such as the Deputy Chief Minister if a coalition government is formed."
Nagendran also targeted DMK Minister Ponmudy over his recent controversial statements on women, which sparked a massive public outrage. "What he (Ponmudy) said is unconstitutional. It is not just women but men too, who should decide if such statements are acceptable. People of Tamil Nadu must remember Ponmudy's statements against women, when they vote in 2026 elections," he said.
Nagendran further questioned CM MK Stalin's silence on the issue, saying, "The CM has failed to take any action against minister Ponmudy." Though Ponmudy later issued a public apology, the BJP state president accused Stalin of hesitating to act.
