CHENNAI: The recently held F4 night street car racing in Chennai has thrown up a heated debate within Tamil Nadu BJP with the event creating fissures between the young and veteran functionaries in the saffron party.
While seniors criticised the state govt for hosting the car racing event, the younger ones in the party, such as BJP youth wing state president Vinoj P Selvam and BJP sports cell state secretary Alisha Abdulla supported it.
Vinoj, after witnessing the event, shared his photo on X and said there was “high octane energy” at the F4 race.
Alisha, a racer herself, went a step ahead and appreciated the state govt for the arrangements. “I have attended many street car races in foreign countries and this is on a par with them,” Alisha said. The BJP functionary was spotted at the racing track during the event.
While seniors such as TN BJP coordination committee convener H Raja criticised the state saying the race was conducted for sports minister Udhayanidhi’s sake, Alisha expressed her appreciation for him, saying, “Udhayanidhi has done a lot for sports department after taking charge as sports minister.”
Raja, however, dismissed suggestions of “tussle” within the party. The party needs to focus on burning issues in TN rather than “minor differences”, he told reporters at the BJP headquarters in Chennai where a membership drive is on.
Party seniors stoutly opposed the event. Union minister of state for Parliamentary affairs L Murugan questioned the location of the racing event. “There is a lot of space available outside Chennai, so why was it conducted within the city, disturbing people?” Murugan said.
BJP state vice president Karu Nagarajan asked why permission was given for the race in the heart of the city. “We are not even permitted to put up party flag posts, how come permission was given for conducting a racing event? We have Omandurar govt hospital, and ambulances had to come for emergencies, but the road has been blocked for emergency vehicles too,” Nagarajan said.
Meanwhile, TN BJP spokesperson A N S Prasad, who filed a case against the F4 night street car race in Madras high court, said a section of party functionaries acting against BJP’s stand is not good for party’ growth.
