Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai resigned from the party on Friday. BJP chief Nitin Nabin has accepted his resignation.
The decision was formally approved by the party leadership, marking Annamalai's exit from the BJP's primary membership rolls.
The development comes despite continued efforts by the BJP leadership to persuade Annamalai to reconsider his decision. According to party sources, senior leaders remained hopeful until the last moment that the former Tamil Nadu BJP chief could be convinced to stay.
Kuppusamy Annamalai, the former IPS official, who shot up to fame in politics after he joined the BJP, is referred to as "Singham" by his supporters. He joined the BJP in 2020 and was made state president the following year, succeeding L Murugan, who was elevated as a union minister.
On June 2, Annamalai met party senior leader and Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi amidst speculation of quitting the party. Though it was not officially made known what transpired during the 30-minute meeting between them, party sources indicated that Annamalai has been asked to put on hold his resignation plans for now.
He has been sulking since he was replaced by Nainar Nagenthran, and the party revived its electoral ties with the AIADMK for the 2026 Assembly election. During his tenure as president, he unsuccessfully contested the 2021 Assembly election. He chose not to contest in the recently held election but devoted his attention to campaigning for the party.
On the speculation over floating a new outfit, Annamalai told reporters before leaving for Delhi that he would answer all the questions and explain his stand in two days.
"Please wait. We will sit down and talk in two days," he told reporters at the airport here.