Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai on Friday clarified that he is not in contention for the post of the new state unit chief, pointing out that there is no room for internal contests in his party as the president is chosen unanimously.
“I am not in the race for the post of the new state president,” he told reporters.
Addressing speculation about his role in the leadership transition, he added, “I am not ready for any quarrel (related to the next chief and whether he has any preference for any particular leader), and I am not in the race.”
What Annamalai said about a possible alliance with AIADMK
Annamalai’s remarks come just days after AIADMK leader Edappadi Palaniswami met Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, along with other senior party members. The meeting sparked speculation about a possible revival of the BJP-AIADMK alliance ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. However, neither party officially clarified the purpose of the meeting.
Reacting to reports that AIADMK leadership wanted him removed as Tamil Nadu BJP president to smoothen the path for an alliance ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, K Annamalai declined to comment, news agency ANI reported.
“As far as I am concerned, the BJP should do well for all times to come, we will talk at the time of election of new president,” he said, adding that the leadership change “could happen soon.”
When asked why he wasn’t in the race for the president’s post, Annamalai explained that the BJP does not hold internal contests for such positions. “Where is the scope for a contest? And that is why I said I am not in the race for the post,” he said.
Annamalai affirmed his commitment to continuing work as a party member. “I will do the work assigned to me by the party, and there is no problem for me,” he said, reiterating his stance against corruption. “I came to politics opposing corruption, and there will be no compromise in that respect.”
On the upcoming 2026 elections, he said they were crucial for the people and questioned whether the state should endure “five more years under the DMK regime.” He added, “We need to consider all these things.”
AIADMK had earlier accused Annamalai of attacking its leaders, including the party founder and former chief minister CN Annadurai and the late CM J Jayalalithaa.
The AIADMK had entered into an alliance with the BJP following the death of J Jayalalithaa in 2016. The DMK emerged victorious in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, and again in the 2024 general elections.
AIADMK and BJP contested the 2021 state elections together, with the BJP securing four seats. However, the alliance ended in 2023.
(With ANI, PTI inputs)