Real story behind Annamalai’s withdrawal from TN poll duties | Talking Sense With Srini

BJP leader K Annamalai’s decision to withdraw from election-related duties, officially citing his father’s ill health, has thrown the party’s Tamil Nadu strategy into fresh uncertainty just as the state heads into a crucial Assembly election cycle. The move has also reignited speculation about internal disquiet within the party and Annamalai’s own political future.

Speaking on Talking Sense With Srini, The Federal’s Editor-in-Chief S Srinivasan said Annamalai’s withdrawal cannot be viewed in isolation.

“If you put together the recent happenings, it seems very clear that Annamalai is dissatisfied,” he said, pointing to what he described as a deliberate scaling down of the former state BJP president’s role in the party’s campaign architecture.

According to Srinivasan, the BJP leadership is currently not keen on projecting Annamalai as the face of the campaign.

What really miffed Annamalai

“He has not been sidelined, but he has certainly been asked to lie low,” Srinivasan said, recalling comments by party ideologue S Gurumurthy that suggested Annamalai was being kept in bands and possibly prepared for a larger role only in the longer term.

“The idea could be to position him for 2031, but whether Annamalai has that kind of patience is another question,” he added.

A key flashpoint, Srinivasan said, was Annamalai being appointed as one among 72 election in-charges for the 234 Assembly constituencies, with responsibility for just six segments.

“Somebody who fashions himself as a statewide leader, who has gone on a statewide tour, being asked to focus on six constituencies - that, I think, is what really miffed him,” he said.

Also Read: BJP leader Annamalai steps down from party position, citing father's illness

The immediate provocation came when Annamalai was asked whether he would contest from Singanallur, an AIADMK stronghold. His blunt response that he would not even campaign caught both allies and rivals by surprise. Srinivasan argued that the BJP was unwilling to push for the seat, wary of reopening alliance tensions.

“They did not want to make an issue out of Singanallur because the BJP knows what happened in 2024 when the AIADMK alliance collapsed,” he said.

While Annamalai has cited personal reasons for stepping back, Srinivasan was sceptical of that explanation.

“Everybody knows his father has been unwell for a while now,” he said. “So the timing of this decision naturally raises political questions.”

Speculation about Annamalai

Speculation about Annamalai floating a new party or aligning with actor-politician Vijay’s TVK has also gained traction, though Srinivasan urged caution.

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“These are far-fetched as of now,” he said, adding that meetings across party lines do not automatically translate into political realignments. “But the fact that these stories are floating, whether by friends or enemies, shows the uncertainty around him.”

‘Personal appeal’

What is undeniable, Srinivasan said, is Annamalai’s personal appeal.

“He had a rockstar image, especially among the youth,” he noted. “He broke established political rules of engagement in Tamil Nadu. He was aggressive, articulate, and unafraid to take on opponents.”

Also Read: 'Rasmalai' jibe backfires as Annamalai-backed candidates win BMC polls

That appeal, Srinivasan warned, may now translate into voter disillusionment.

“It won’t be a positive vote for the BJP anymore,” he said. “It could become a negative vote against the DMK, or some supporters may simply lose interest.”

‘BJP seems to be playing a long game in TN’

Strategically, Srinivasan said the BJP appears to be playing a long game.

“All signals suggest they are thinking more about 2031 than 2026,” he said. “But this election still matters, because improving vote share is crucial. In that sense, Annamalai stepping away from campaigning is a setback, both for the BJP and for the NDA in Tamil Nadu.”