Annamalai joins BJP national council; Nainar takes over as TN unit chief

Former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai was on Saturday (April 12) appointed as a member of the BJP’s national council. Vanathi Srinivasan and Tamilisai Soundararajan were also named members of the national council, reinforcing Tamil Nadu’s representation at the national level.

Earlier, Nainar Nagendran was officially appointed the Tamil Nadu BJP chief at a grand ceremony in Vanagaram, near Chennai. The event marked a pivotal moment for the BJP in Tamil Nadu, as it gears up for the 2026 Assembly elections with a renewed alliance with the AIADMK. Nagendran, a seasoned politician and former AIADMK minister, succeeds Annamalai.

Also read: BJP-AIADMK alliance: Can Nainar deliver where Annamalai fell short?

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy jointly presented Nagendran with a certificate formalising his appointment. BJP leader Sudhakar Reddy honoured Nagendran by draping him with the party scarf and presenting him with Tirupati prasadam, symbolising blessings for his new role.

At the ceremony, Annamalai formally handed over all responsibilities to Nagendran. Addressing the gathering, Annamalai highlighted the BJP-AIADMK alliance, specifically naming AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) as the spearhead of the NDA coalition in Tamil Nadu. He urged all party workers to unite under Nagendran’s leadership and work relentlessly to secure a resounding victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Nagendran, a three-time MLA from Tirunelveli and a former AIADMK minister who joined the BJP in 2017, also addressed the party workers. “I accept this responsibility with humility. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guidance and with our AIADMK partners, we will work tirelessly to make the NDA government in Tamil Nadu,” he said, outlining his vision for a united and development-focused campaign.