CHENNAI: Former BJP state president K Annamalai, whose name does not figure on the party’s list of candidates in Tamil Nadu announced on Friday, has been summoned back from campaigning in Kannur, Kerala, to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai on Saturday morning.Union minister Piyush Goyal, who released the list of candidates here, said, “Annamalai is a dedicated worker of the party and has chosen to work across the state rather than contest from one constituency.” Goyal added that candidates were chosen based on inputs from the state unit and individual preferences.Minutes after BJP released its candidate list, Annamalai posted on X that he would campaign for NDA candidates. “I am a karyakarta and will stand shoulder to shoulder & campaign for all our winning BJP & other NDA candidates, with the aim of the NDA winning 210 seats,” he said.BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran has been fielded from Sattur, Tamilisai Soundararajan from Mylapore, Vanathi Srinivasan from Coimbatore (North) and Union minister L Murugan from Avinashi.Kirthika Shivkumar, daughter-in-law of sitting BJP MLA C Saraswathi, will contest from Modakkurichi and S Thangaraj, son of Hindu Munnani leader Kadeswara Subramaniam, has been fielded in Tiruppur (South). M Bhojarajan, who contested and failed in Udhagamandalam in the 2021 elections, has been renominated.In south TN, S Vijayadharani, who quit Congress last year to join BJP, will contest from Vilavancode, while MR Gandhi has been given the Nagercoil seat. Raama Sreenivasan will contest from Madurai South and Ananthan Ayyasamy from Vasudevanallur (SC). In two seats, where BJP will face Congress — Colachel and Padmanabhapuram — T Sivakumar and P Ramesh have been given the ticket.Within BJP, views differ on the impact of his absence from the contest. A senior leader said Annamalai drew large crowds at rallies addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Madurai and Madurantakam and had support among younger voters. “His absence from the ballot could affect mobilisation and give opposition parties space to question internal decisions linked to the alliance,” the leader said.Others in the party said decisions were taken by the leadership keeping alliance considerations in mind. “The party is not centred on one individual. The leadership decides alliances and candidate selection based on long-term strategy,” another senior leader said, adding that internal structures would continue to manage campaign work. The first set back came when Annamalai was replaced as state president. His fortunes further waned after BJP and AIADMK reconciled under a deal negotiated by Union minister Amit Shah and Edappadi K Palaniswami in April 2025. He was also not part of election seat-sharing talks or core decision-making teams.In Feb 2026, he was reduced to poll in-charge for just six seats. He later stepped away from party roles, citing personal reasons, while continuing background campaign work at Kavundampalayam and Singanallur in Coimbatore. But these were not allotted to the BJP. Leaders seen as close to Annamalai, including Amarprasad Reddy and SG Suryah, were also not fielded.
