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Annamalai submitted his resignation to BJP national president Nitin Nabin, and is expected to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah before his departure to Chennai.
File photo of former Tamil Nadu BJP Chief Annamalai (PTI Photo)
Former Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai on Tuesday tendered his resignation from the party during his meeting with BJP national president Nitin Nabin. He is expected to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah at 4 pm.
There had been intense speculation that Annamalai, who has kept a low profile since being replaced as Tamil Nadu BJP chief by Nainar Nagendran, wished to part ways with the party, with reports suggesting that he no longer saw a future in the BJP.
During a crucial meeting with Nitin Nabin and organisation secretary BL Santhosh, Annamalai reportedly expressed his wish to part ways with the party on cordial terms. He told the party leadership that he wants to “chart his own course now”.
However, the BJP leadership was still considering efforts to persuade the former IPS officer to stay, and a national role for him is on the cards. According to sources, Annamalai has been asked not to leave Delhi until any further instructions.
ALSO READ: ‘Singham’ Returns? Why Annamalai Remains Relevant In Tamil Nadu With Zero Election Wins
Major Political Shake-Up In Tamil Nadu
Annamalai’s exit from the BJP would mark a major political shake-up in the state after actor-turned-politician Vijay’s meteoric rise from the big screen to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
According to sources close to Annamalai, he believes that Tamil Nadu’s political landscape has undergone a significant shift following the rise of actor Vijay as a political force. “There is no leader to fight Vijay today. The Dravidian era is over. Politics centred on language issues alone will no longer work. The politics of the state have changed,” a source aware of the discussions said.
Amid the buzz over his possible exit, supporters of Annamalai put up posters in Madurai urging him to take his “next avatar” and “save Tamil Nadu.”
The buzz began building months ago, after Annamalai was replaced as the BJP’s state president by Nainar Nagendran in 2025 as the party sought to revive its alliance with the AIADMK ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Annamalai’s aggressive stance and comments on MGR and J Jayalalithaa had strained ties with the AIADMK, leading to electoral losses for both parties.
What Next For Annamalai?
Annamalai, who joined politics in 2020 and became the youngest BJP chief in Tamil Nadu, is reportedly considering launching a people’s movement, although it is unclear whether it could later take the form of a political party in the future.
ALSO READ: IIM Grad, Tough Cop, Political Firebrand: How Annamalai Became BJP’s Face In Tamil Nadu
However, Annamalai neither confirmed nor denied the move, saying he would make his position clear within the next two days. The buzz has been further fuelled by large posters erected by his supporters across Coimbatore ahead of his birthday.
Questions about his future gained traction after the 2026 Assembly elections, particularly after he was not fielded from Coimbatore, a constituency he was reportedly interested in contesting.
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int…Read More
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