TN BJP faces digital dissent as ‘war rooms’ backing Annamalai target Nainar, AIADMK alliance

CHENNAI: A digital dissent is brewing in a politically fragile BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit, challenging the incumbent Nainar Nagenthran, owing allegiance to former chief Annamalai, a war that shows no signs of wearing down ahead of national president Amit Shah’s Madurai visit.

The party's transition in state leadership from K Annamalai to Nainar Nagenthran has not been without friction, particularly in the social media sphere, where loyalists of the former chief are waging a relentless campaign against the new leadership and its alliance choices.

Months into his appointment as the Tamil Nadu BJP president, senior leader Nainar Nagenthran finds himself battling a wave of criticism, not from the opposition, but from within his own party's digital ecosystem.

A flurry of anonymous and semi-official 'X' (formerly Twitter) accounts, many bearing the image of former president K Annamalai, have launched a coordinated campaign disparaging Nagenthran and the BJP's renewed alliance with the AIADMK.

Prominent among them is the handle "Johny Bhai (Annamalai's War Room)," which routinely posts incendiary content accusing Nainar Nagenthran and other senior leaders of sidelining Annamalai and betraying the party's earlier stance against the AIADMK.

"Nainar Balaji (Nainar Nagenthran’s son), Ramesh Shiva, Dinesh Rodi have all come together to slander Annamalai and his supporters," one post claimed, targeting BJP leaders.

The friction, however, is not just on the digital platforms.

Senior BJP leaders have acknowledged the existence of these so-called "war room" handles and allege they were originally created under Annamalai's leadership to defend him from critics.

"These handles were funded and operated during Annamalai's tenure. He claimed to have dismantled them after a stern warning from the high command. Yet they remain hyperactive, tarnishing party leaders and disrupting unity," a senior BJP functionary said, warning of imminent legal action.

In response, BJP functionary Dinesh Rodi appealed to the party's social media supporters to steer clear of "malicious propaganda."

"These handles claim to support Annamalai anna but in reality, they are spreading false narratives funded by external forces such as the DMK. Our leaders—including Annamalai and Nagenthran—have never spoken against each other in public. This is an orchestrated effort to mislead cadre and damage the party from within," he said.

Echoing similar sentiments, BJP youth wing president Ramesh Shivaa alleged that several accounts are under surveillance for allegedly receiving funds from entities linked to the ruling DMK.

"They masquerade as BJP supporters while attacking our leaders. Such elements must be isolated," he said.

BJP's state social media convener MS Balaji urged restraint, warning that continued personal attacks and misinformation could jeopardise the party's growth in Tamil Nadu.

"This behaviour discredits both former president Annamalai and current president Nainar Nagenthran. Constructive criticism is one thing—but coordinated defamation is unacceptable," he said, hinting at legal measures against violators.