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Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar took a swipe at Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, calling him a “poor man,” after the BJP staged a protest against his visit to Chennai for a meeting on delimitation. In response, Annamalai thanked Shivakumar and countered with a sharp remark on his chief ministerial ambitions.
Shivakumar was in Chennai on Saturday at the invitation of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin to discuss the implications of the delimitation exercise. The meeting has drawn criticism from the BJP, which opposed its convening.
Reacting to the BJP’s black flag protest upon his arrival, Shivakumar dismissed it lightly, saying, “I welcome all these BJP black flags. I was never afraid when they sent me to Tihar Jail.” He also referred to Annamalai’s past role as an IPS officer in Karnataka, stating, “This officer, poor man, is from my state. He has served us. He knows our strength. Let him do his job. I wish him all the best.”
Yes, I diligently served Karnataka’s people as a Police Officer. Thanks for the noteworthy mention Thiru @DKShivakumar avare.
Advertisement · Scroll to continueAlso, thank you for wishing this poor man & my best wishes to you in your undying efforts in the pursuit of becoming the CM of Karnataka by toppling… pic.twitter.com/U5ZN8emCOF
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) March 22, 2025
Annamalai, in a swift response, acknowledged Shivakumar’s remarks with a social media post on ‘X’ . “Yes, I diligently served Karnataka’s people as a Police Officer. Thanks for the noteworthy mention Thiru @DKShivakumar avare,” he posted. He then took a jibe at Shivakumar’s political aspirations, adding, “Also, thank you for wishing this poor man & my best wishes to you in your undying efforts in the pursuit of becoming the CM of Karnataka by toppling Thiru Siddaramaiah from his chair!”
The delimitation issue has sparked concerns among several state governments, particularly in the South, over potential loss of political representation if constituency boundaries are redrawn based on population. The BJP has strongly opposed the DMK-led meeting, adding another layer of political tension between the ruling parties in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
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