Speculation surrounding the absence of senior BJP leader K. Annamalai from the Bharatiya Janata Party’s list of 27 candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections has now been put to rest, as the leader himself clarified that he chose not to contest the polls.
Annamalai stated that his decision was personal and strategic, emphasizing that he intends to focus entirely on campaigning for National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates rather than entering the electoral fray himself.
Speaking to reporters upon arriving in Chennai to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Annamalai confirmed that he is neither part of the candidate list nor in the race for any constituency in the upcoming elections.
The former Tamil Nadu BJP president revealed that he had already informed the party high command in writing about his decision not to contest the elections. Consequently, his name was excluded from the list of potential candidates submitted for the April 23 polls.
He added that although he could have contested from any constituency in Tamil Nadu if he wished, he deliberately chose to concentrate on strengthening the party organization and supporting NDA candidates through extensive campaigning.
According to Annamalai, the party leadership has assigned him the responsibility of holding public meetings across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry. He will campaign in Puducherry and Kerala until April 7, after which he will focus on Tamil Nadu until polling day.
“As a party worker, my role is to campaign across the state for NDA candidates, and I will fulfill this responsibility with full dedication,” he said.
Annamalai also confirmed that he had informed Union Minister Piyush Goyal, BJP General Secretary B. L. Santhosh, and other party leaders about his decision in advance. Regarding his meeting with Prime Minister Modi, he said discussions would primarily revolve around election strategy.
Thanking the party leadership for respecting his decision, Annamalai expressed confidence that the NDA would perform strongly in the elections and work towards securing maximum seats.
