Chennai: The Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party is set to launch a regional TV channel for the state.
The TV channel, to be operated from Alwarpet in the city, will be an extension of the party’s Kerala mouthpiece—Janam TV, The Indian Express reported.
A senior BJP leader is quoted as saying that the channel will retain its sister concern’s name.
The initial cost for setting up the channel, estimated to be around Rs 15 crore, will be mobilized through the resources of the BJP and the RSS in the state.
The senior leader described state BJP’s ambitious project as a “baby of K Annamalai”.
Annamalai, the party’s state chief in his late 30s, will oversee the project, according to the report.
The BJP leadership believes that having a channel will help the party cover Annamalai’s statewide march beginning April 14, 2023.
Janam TV in Kerala is reportedly commercially ailing alongside facing complaints of low pay.
But the channel was key to whip up protests during the Sabarimala controversy, playing up the propaganda of BJP and RSS.
The agitation helped the channel to achieve better ratings than most other mainstream news channels until the controversy lasted.
Janam TV found itself dismayed at numerous new viewers showing up to watch the channel.
The decision to start a party TV channel in Tamil comes weeks after Tamil Nadu BJP leader K Annamalai had a tiff with media during a press conference at the party headquarters earlier in January.
Some of the journalists who came for the press meeting were reportedly heckled by BJP activists.
Annamalai asked journalists for details about the organization they represented before he was to answer their questions.