Annamalai Opts Out of TN Polls, Takes Charge of BJP Campaign

BJP leader K. Annamalai on Saturday clarified that his absence from the party’s candidate list for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections is a deliberate and pre-planned decision , putting to rest speculation over his non-inclusion.

Returning from his campaign in Kerala, Annamalai said he had informed the BJP leadership in advance, in writing , that he would not contest the April 23 polls. He emphasised that his name did not figure even in the initial list of probable candidates , making it clear that he was not denied a ticket. “I am not in the race or list. My role is to campaign for the candidates across Tamil Nadu,” he told reporters at the Chennai airport.

His absence from the BJP’s list of 27 candidates had triggered political speculation , given his prominence as a former state president and a key face of the party in Tamil Nadu. Reports of possible differences during seat-sharing talks had further fuelled the buzz. However, Annamalai asserted that the decision was entirely his own and had been communicated earlier to senior leaders, including Piyush Goyal .

Instead of contesting, the BJP has assigned him a statewide campaign leadership role , entrusting him with mobilising support for party and NDA candidates. He said he would continue campaigning in Kerala and Puducherry till April 7 , after which he would focus on Tamil Nadu until polling day. Positioning himself as a “karyakarta,” Annamalai said his priority is to strengthen the party’s overall performance rather than seek a constituency-based role.

During his brief visit to Chennai, he is also scheduled to attend a closed-door core committee meeting of BJP leaders and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi . He described the interaction as an opportunity for a general discussion on the ongoing election campaign.

The BJP’s candidate list includes prominent names such as Union Minister L. Murugan and former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan , while Annamalai’s role remains focused on campaign strategy and statewide outreach .