Don't want to be in politics where there is heavy influence of money: TN BJP chief Annamalai

Bharatiya Janata Party Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai on Sunday said on Sunday that he wants to do clean politics and not politics in which there is heavy influence of money.

Bharatiya Janata Party Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai on Sunday said on Sunday that he wants to do clean politics and not politics in which there is heavy influence of money. The State BJP chief's statements came during the inauguration of the Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam programme, held in Chennai. Union Ministers Anurag Thaukur and Mansukh Mandaviya were also present during the occasion.

Taking note of the heavy influence of money in Tamil Nadu during elections, the BJP leader said that he is fed up with such politics. "I have started to make the decision that I should be in good and clean politics. If I need to change myself for present politics I don't wish to be in such politics," he said.

Annamalai added that at present no one can contest an election in the State without giving money. "Personally and as a BJP cadre and as a BJP State President I don't have the wish to face such elections," he added. 'The level of influence of money in Tamil Nadu elections is becoming unsustainable, we can't have elections like this. Pampering voters with money and gifts cannot bring clean governance in decades," he told reporters here.

He also suggested that politics should be without the influence of money. "After two years, I understood that politics should be without money and in the right way or else in Tamil Nadu, there won't be a change in 1,000 years," he said. Noting the Assembly elections in the Aravakurichi constituency, wherein the BJP leader lost, he said that he lost his savings of nine years [used in poll campaigning].

"I lost my nine years of savings during the Aravakurichi election. After the election, I am in debt," Annamalai said. He also said that to fight the Parliament elections in the State, it takes around Rs 80 crore to Rs 120 crore. "I am not saying that all party is giving money, but this doesn't display clean politics," he added. (ANI)

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