Okay Annamalai, former Tamil Nadu BJP president and founding father of the We The Leaders movement, criticised what he described as a Gujarat-centric method to improvement below the BJP-led NDA authorities, arguing that investments, expertise initiatives and main occasions couldn’t all be concentrated in a single state. Gujarat is Prime Minister Narendra Modi and House Minister Amit Shah’s dwelling state, some extent Annamalai didn’t fail to underline.
Annamalai’s plain-speaking critique of his former social gathering, which leads the central authorities, got here on the India At this time Tamil Nadu Spherical Desk in Chennai on Monday. The 42-year-old IPS officer-turned-politician mentioned the BJP’s decision-making had grow to be more and more “Delhi-centric” and referred to as for higher empowerment of state-level leaders.
“I imagine the choices of the BJP have gotten Delhi-centric, so it is rather unlucky. That has to vary,” Annamalai mentioned.
He mentioned state-level leaders needs to be given higher authority to take selections and act on them.
“Genuinely, they must empower state-level leaders to make actions. It has to occur,” he mentioned.
Annamalai then took goal at what he referred to as the “Gujarat-centric mannequin of Delhi improvement”, questioning the focus of main investments and nationwide occasions in Gujarat.
“And the Gujarat-centric mannequin of Delhi improvement has to vary a bit,” Annamalai mentioned.
“You possibly can’t have all of the AI corporations going there or wafer corporations going there, 2030 Commonwealth Video games going there, 2030 police video games going there, 2036 Olympic Video games going to Ahmedabad. You can not have this Gujarat mannequin of all-India improvement,” he added.
He mentioned the focus of alternatives in a single state couldn’t be the mannequin for India’s improvement.
“That has to vary. Individuals are watching,” Annamalai mentioned.
BIG PROJECTS, POLITICS AND GUJARAT
Annamalai’s remarks come towards the backdrop of a wider political debate over Gujarat’s rising position in attracting main investments and occasions.
It turned notably sharp in 2022, when the proposed Rs 1.54 lakh crore Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor challenge was introduced for Gujarat after Maharashtra had been in talks with the businesses. The choice triggered a political row over whether Maharashtra had lost the project, with the state authorities and Opposition buying and selling prices over who was accountable.
The Tata-Airbus C-295 aircraft manufacturing project introduced for Vadodara quickly after additionally drew criticism from Maharashtra’s Opposition, though the state authorities disputed the declare that it had been shifted from Maharashtra.
Since then, Gujarat’s place in India’s semiconductor push has solely grown. Tata Electronics, Micron and CG Energy are among the many corporations establishing main semiconductor initiatives within the state, giving Gujarat a distinguished place in one of many nation’s greatest new manufacturing bets.
The sporting facet of the argument has additionally had its share of controversy. In 2025, the IPL ultimate was shifted from Kolkata’s Eden Gardens to Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, with the BCCI citing the danger of rain in Kolkata. The transfer triggered a political row in West Bengal, with leaders of the then ruling Trinamool Congress accusing the BCCI of favouring Gujarat and asking why “all the massive matches” have been going to Ahmedabad.
The controversy added to the rising deal with Ahmedabad as a venue for marquee sporting occasions. The town is about to host the 2029 World Police and Fireplace Video games and the 2030 Commonwealth Video games, whereas India is pursuing its bid to host the 2036 Olympics with Ahmedabad because the proposed host metropolis.
Taken collectively, these developments have fuelled a broader political argument over whether or not Gujarat is getting a disproportionate share of India’s greatest investments and nationwide occasions. And that appears to be the bigger concern behind Annamalai’s criticism. It isn’t that Gujarat mustn’t get these initiatives, however whether or not one state ought to grow to be the default vacation spot for alternatives being pursued within the title of all-India improvement.
Later within the dialogue, Annamalai spoke about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay and mentioned the brand new authorities needs to be given time to ascertain itself.
He mentioned he had seen a “fresh breath” in the first 100 days of the government and believed it was genuinely dedicated to combating corruption.
“Mr Vijay is in a really, very powerful place. It isn’t straightforward to be a CM in Tamil Nadu at this cut-off date, when the forces are towards you,” Annamalai mentioned.
He mentioned Vijay needs to be given at the least a yr to manipulate. “One yr now we have to present him area. It’s our responsibility to present him the area, responsibility to assist him keep on his imaginative and prescient,” he mentioned.
Annamalai added that Vijay presently had his assist. “As of now Vijay has my assist as a result of I’m doing what a real Tamilian ought to do,” he mentioned.
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