Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai has officially resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), submitting a five-page resignation letter to the party's national leadership in New Delhi, according to sources.
The resignation was handed over to BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Tuesday. Sources familiar with the development said Annamalai cited feeling sidelined within the Tamil Nadu BJP as one of the key reasons for his decision to step down.
Soon after submitting his resignation, the former IPS officer met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence, fuelling speculation about the circumstances surrounding his exit and his future political plans.
The move comes after weeks of intense speculation over Annamalai's role within the party, reported differences regarding alliance strategy, and growing chatter about the possibility of him launching a new political outfit in Tamil Nadu.
Annamalai, a former Indian Police Service officer who served in Karnataka, entered politics in 2020 at the age of 40. Hailing from Karur district, he quickly emerged as one of the BJP's most prominent leaders in Tamil Nadu and was appointed state president in 2021. The party projected him as a youthful and assertive leader capable of expanding its footprint in a state traditionally dominated by Dravidian parties.
However, tensions surfaced within the NDA after the AIADMK exited the alliance, with party chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami blaming Annamalai for the breakdown. In April 2025, Annamalai stepped down as Tamil Nadu BJP president after Amit Shah facilitated the AIADMK's return to the NDA fold.
