Annamalai rules out support for CJP while defending constitutional right to protest

Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai has declared that his political movement, We The Leaders, will never support the Cockroach Janta Party, stating that the two groups hold fundamentally different goals.

Speaking at an event in Chennai, Annamalai clarified his recent comments on demonstrations led by the Abhijeet Dipke-headed party. While defending the constitutional right of citizens to express dissent peacefully, he cautioned against tactics that risk eroding public confidence in national democratic institutions, including the Election Commission of India and the Supreme Court.

Stand on democratic rights and law enforcement

The clarification comes after recent demonstrations in New Delhi, where CJP activists demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Delhi Police subsequently detained CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka under preventive custody orders issued by a special executive magistrate's court, keeping them in custody for seven days.

Annamalai questioned the prolonged use of executive powers for preventive detention and raised procedural concerns regarding police management of protests. However, he emphasized that law enforcement agencies must strictly enforce standard legal procedures when dealing with public order issues.

"We believe that arrests must be carried out in accordance with the law and due procedure," Annamalai said, adding that national investigative bodies should handle any genuine threats to national sovereignty rather than relying on brief detentions or social media debates.

Governance achievements and institutional stability

Reaffirming his support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's national leadership, Annamalai commended the central government's governance track record.

"Modi is a good PM, who is doing good work," Annamalai stated, noting that supporting the administration's broader developmental agenda does not preclude asking questions on administrative procedures.

Responding to the public discussion, Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy noted that Annamalai, who stepped down from his party role in June 2026, remains free to express his views. However, Thirupathy stated that questioning police procedures in this manner risks blurring the distinction between peaceful political agitation and deliberate law-breaking.