<p>Chennai: Nainar Nagendran, a former AIADMK leader who joined the BJP in 2017, on Saturday formally succeeded K Annamalai as the new Tamil Nadu unit party chief, in a transition aimed at strengthening the alliance with the Dravidian major. </p><p>Sixty-four-year-old Nagendran, a key political figure from Tirunelveli district and hailing from the influential Thevar community, was chosen unanimously after Annamalai and nine senior leaders seconded his nomination for the top post. </p>.A new government would be formed in Manipur soon: BJP MLA.<p>Union Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy announced the election of Nagendran at an event on the outskirts of the city, a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami formally announced an alliance between the two parties for the 2026 assembly polls. </p><p>Hours before the election, Annamalai praised Nagendran as a “seasoned politician” and he doesn’t have to worry about balancing his views as he can direct all tough questions to the new state unit chief. Annamalai, who was made the state party chief in July 2021, had been maintaining that he won’t continue in the post if the party aligned with the AIADMK for elections. </p><p>Nagendran, who served in various capacities in the AIADMK and was part of the J Jayalalithaa Cabinet, was chosen keeping in mind his soft nature and his rapport with AIADMK leaders. “The alliance’s longevity and success is very important. He is not just a senior politician but a balanced politician who knows the art of negotiations. We believe he will work closely with the AIADMK in taking the alliance to the people,” a senior BJP leader told DH.</p><p>With Nagendran assuming charge as TN BJP chief, all eyes are now on the position to be offered to Annamalai, who was hailed as the BJP’s future in Tamil Nadu. Shah had on Friday indicated that Annamalai will get a role to play at the national level.</p>.Tamil Nadu notifies 10 Acts sans Governor Ravi’s approval after SC's landmark verdict.<p>Besides Annamalai’s reluctance to continue as the state party chief if the AIADMK was part of the NDA, his belonging to Gounder community, from which AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami also hails, is another reason for the change. The party felt leaders of both parties coming from the same community could send a wrong signal to other dominant castes, especially Thevars, who have been slowly migrating to rebels like T T V Dhinakaran and O Panneerselvam after having been traditional supporters of AIADMK. </p><p>Thevars, who are spread across Central and Southern parts of Tamil Nadu, have been upset that the AIADMK "has become a Gounder party” under Palaniswami and the BJP didn’t want to sustain that narrative, a source told DH. </p>
<p>Chennai: Nainar Nagendran, a former AIADMK leader who joined the BJP in 2017, on Saturday formally succeeded K Annamalai as the new Tamil Nadu unit party chief, in a transition aimed at strengthening the alliance with the Dravidian major. </p><p>Sixty-four-year-old Nagendran, a key political figure from Tirunelveli district and hailing from the influential Thevar community, was chosen unanimously after Annamalai and nine senior leaders seconded his nomination for the top post. </p>.A new government would be formed in Manipur soon: BJP MLA.<p>Union Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy announced the election of Nagendran at an event on the outskirts of the city, a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami formally announced an alliance between the two parties for the 2026 assembly polls. </p><p>Hours before the election, Annamalai praised Nagendran as a “seasoned politician” and he doesn’t have to worry about balancing his views as he can direct all tough questions to the new state unit chief. Annamalai, who was made the state party chief in July 2021, had been maintaining that he won’t continue in the post if the party aligned with the AIADMK for elections. </p><p>Nagendran, who served in various capacities in the AIADMK and was part of the J Jayalalithaa Cabinet, was chosen keeping in mind his soft nature and his rapport with AIADMK leaders. “The alliance’s longevity and success is very important. He is not just a senior politician but a balanced politician who knows the art of negotiations. We believe he will work closely with the AIADMK in taking the alliance to the people,” a senior BJP leader told DH.</p><p>With Nagendran assuming charge as TN BJP chief, all eyes are now on the position to be offered to Annamalai, who was hailed as the BJP’s future in Tamil Nadu. Shah had on Friday indicated that Annamalai will get a role to play at the national level.</p>.Tamil Nadu notifies 10 Acts sans Governor Ravi’s approval after SC's landmark verdict.<p>Besides Annamalai’s reluctance to continue as the state party chief if the AIADMK was part of the NDA, his belonging to Gounder community, from which AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami also hails, is another reason for the change. The party felt leaders of both parties coming from the same community could send a wrong signal to other dominant castes, especially Thevars, who have been slowly migrating to rebels like T T V Dhinakaran and O Panneerselvam after having been traditional supporters of AIADMK. </p><p>Thevars, who are spread across Central and Southern parts of Tamil Nadu, have been upset that the AIADMK "has become a Gounder party” under Palaniswami and the BJP didn’t want to sustain that narrative, a source told DH. </p>