Annamalai — a former IPS officer, engineer, and MBA — opted out from the race to become the next BJP Tamil Nadu chief, clearing the way for the party’s vice president and lawmaker, Nainar Nagendran – the only nominee for the post – to take over just ahead of the state assembly elections.
Not just this, another development in the Tamil Nadu politics was witnessed in the next few hours.
On Saturday, April 11, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which had earlier cut ties with the BJP over Annamalai’s certain remarks calling it their “happiest moment,” took a U-turn to reunite with the party.
The AIADMK and BJP will now be contesting the Tamil Nadu elections under the NDA banner.
Was Annamalai’s exit and AIADMK’s return to the NDA just a coincidence — or was the reunion stitched together on the condition that the Tamil Nadu BJP leader be shown the door?
There were source-based information circulating that AIADMK was forced to rethink the alliance when Annamalai started targeting the regional party and leaders, and when Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) met Union Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, he insisted that Annamalai be ousted as the Tamil Nadu chief as a condition for AIADMK-BJP alliance.
Here’s a bit from the history page:
The AIADMK viewed Annamalai as undermining its dominance in Tamil Nadu and attempting to position the BJP as the primary Opposition to the ruling DMK.
The cracks in their alliance had started to sprout long before when Annamalai expressed his desire for the BJP to go solo in the state – much to ally AIADMK’s annoyance.
The gap grew even more when Annamalai intended to step down over BJP’s alliance with AIADMK. He believed BJP would do better if it contests alone in the state.
His comments against Annadurai and J Jayalalithaa – the revered veteran AIADMK leader – was the last nail in the coffin, irrevocably changing the relationship between the two parties.
And AIADMK announced a break up!
So did the alliance happen over Palaniswami’s ‘remove Annamalai’ condition for the BJP?
Flanked by Annamalai and Palaniswami, Union Minister Amit Shah dismissed the ‘removal’ speculation about Annamalai’s resignation, firmly stating that he remains the BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief.
“This is not true at all. Mr Annamalai is the state president even today. That is why he is sitting with me,” Amit Shah said.
When pressed even more about what new responsibility he would be getting, Amit Shah said, “Leave a few things to our party as well. Don’t worry about my party so much, we will run it well.”
He later announced that the BJP envisaged a greater role for Annamalai at national level.
“As the President of the Tamil Nadu BJP unit, Shri @annamalai_k Ji has made commendable accomplishments. Whether it is carrying the policies of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji to people or the programs of the party from village to village, Annamalai Ji’s contribution has been unprecedented. The BJP will leverage Annamalai Ji’s organizational skills in the party’s national framework.”
Annamalai made his electoral debut in the 2021 Assembly election from Aravakurichi constituency in Karur district and lost. He unsuccessfully contested in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. But is credited to give much visibility to the BJP during his tenure as the BJP state chief.
