Union Home Minister Amit Shah made headlines during the swearing-in ceremony of Chandrababu Naidu as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. Shah was seen “reprimanding” Tamil Nadu BJP Leader and former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, in a moment that quickly went viral.
The incident occurred on stage where other prominent NDA leaders, including the Prime Minister, were present. Footage shows Shah vehemently conveying his disapproval to Soundararajan. Sitting between Union Health Minister JP Nadda and former President of India Venkaiah Naidu, Shah called Soundararajan towards him as she was passing by. With a pointed finger and a stern expression, he began speaking to her in an agitated manner, gesticulating animatedly. Soundararajan appeared to try to respond, but Shah interrupted her, making her listen to his reprimand.
Speculation arose quickly about the reason behind Shah’s stern demeanor. Many believe it was related to Soundararajan’s recent remarks to a media outlet about the Tamil Nadu BJP. In the interview, she suggested that antisocial elements had been inducted into the BJP in Tamil Nadu, indirectly criticizing the leadership of the party’s Tamil Nadu State president, K. Annamalai.
Soundararajan and Annamalai, both of whom lost in the recent Tamil Nadu elections, have been at odds over Annamalai’s leadership style and decisions. Their supporters have openly debated and criticized each other on social media. Soundararajan’s followers blame Annamalai for the BJP’s poor performance in the state, while Annamalai’s supporters argue that the party’s vote share had actually increased and criticize Soundararajan for publicly commenting on internal party issues.
As the video continues to circulate on social media, accompanied by various captions and interpretations, the exact reason behind Shah’s public reprimand remains unclear. Soundararajan has yet to comment on the incident.