Chennai

Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai on Friday announced the launch of a new political movement that will contest the next Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, shortly after resigning from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Addressing supporters, Annamalai declared that his new political platform would enter the electoral arena in the upcoming state polls, marking a significant shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape.

Explaining his decision, he said he had informed the BJP leadership of his intention to leave the party months before the Assembly elections. According to Annamalai, he had communicated his decision to resign on December 4, 2025, but was requested by the party leadership to continue until the elections were over.

He said his departure stemmed from differences over issues concerning Tamil Nadu, adding that he faced an internal conflict between his identity as a BJP member and his commitment to Tamil interests.

Earlier in the day, BJP national president Nitin Nabin accepted Annamalai’s resignation from the party’s primary membership.

In his resignation letter, Annamalai expressed gratitude to the BJP leadership for supporting the concerns and causes he had consistently raised. However, he stated that discussions with senior leaders had convinced him that their perspectives on Tamil Nadu no longer aligned.

The development comes just days after Annamalai’s visit to New Delhi, where he reportedly held meetings with BJP president Nitin Nabin, senior party leader B L Santhosh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Speculation about Annamalai launching a separate political organisation had intensified following the BJP’s disappointing performance in the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Contesting as part of an alliance with the AIADMK, the party secured only around three per cent of the vote while fielding candidates in 27 constituencies.

Despite the setback, Annamalai is widely credited with expanding the BJP’s presence in the state. Under his leadership, the party’s vote share in Tamil Nadu rose significantly during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, increasing from about three per cent to 11 per cent, though it failed to win any parliamentary seats.

Political observers note that strained relations between Annamalai and the AIADMK leadership, coupled with the party’s electoral performance, eventually led to his replacement by Nainar Nagendran as the state BJP chief in 2025.

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In recent days, posters urging Annamalai to lead a new political movement had appeared across parts of Coimbatore, fuelling speculation about his future plans. Friday’s announcement has now confirmed his intention to chart an independent political course ahead of the next Assembly election.