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Quitting BJP? Annamalai Refuses Rajya Sabha Seat, Weighs Launching New Party, Says Report

Sources told NDTV that the former Tamil Nadu BJP chief is preparing to launch a volunteer-driven movement that could eventually evolve into a political party.

Quitting BJP? Annamalai Refuses Rajya Sabha Seat, Weighs Launching New Party, Says Report
File image of former BJP Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai
(Photo: PTI)

Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai is all set to launch a new socio-political movement in the state shortly after his birthday on June 4, a development that has intensified speculation about his future in the Bharatiya Janata Party, NDTV reported.

Sources told the news channel that Annamalai is likely to meet BJP national president J. P. Nadda in Delhi on Monday night amid growing reports that he may quit the party. Sources also claim that the BJP had offered him a Rajya Sabha berth, an offer he is understood to have declined.

Citing sources, NDTV reported that the former IPS officer is expected to unveil a movement focused on leadership development, youth engagement and volunteer mobilisation across Tamil Nadu. 

The initiative aims to identify and train young leaders while building a grassroots network of professionals, students and social workers, the report added.

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Political circles are abuzz with reports that the movement could eventually evolve into a full-fledged political party. The sources, who spoke to NDTV, indicate that Annamalai's immediate focus is on establishing the movement before taking a call on launching a political outfit.

The development comes months after Annamalai was replaced as the Tamil Nadu BJP chief following the party's decision to revive its alliance with AIADMK ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. 

He neither contested the polls nor played a major role in the BJP's campaign, fuelling speculation about his standing within the party.

Sources familiar with the developments told NDTV that Annamalai believes his political prospects within the BJP's existing framework in Tamil Nadu are constrained. 

His backers, however, see the proposed movement as a stepping stone towards building an independent political platform with the potential to emerge as a significant force in the state's evolving political landscape.

Adding to the speculation, a future political party led by Annamalai could contest upcoming Assembly by-elections in Tamil Nadu. The reported move has already drawn political reactions. Congress MP Karti P. Chidambaram recently remarked on social media that "one more political party in Tamil Nadu is in the offing," suggesting that the churn in the state's politics is accelerating. For now, neither Annamalai nor the BJP has officially commented on the reports.

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