K Annamalai front-runner for Tamil Nadu BJP chief

Annamalai joined the BJP in 2020 and unsuccessfully contested the 2021 assembly elections from Aravakurichi

With L Murugan being sworn in as Union Minister of State, speculation is rife on who will succeed him as the President of the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP.

Former Karnataka-cadre IPS officer K Annamalai, who joined the party last year, is the front-runner for the post of new president of Tamil Nadu. The name of Nainar Nagendran, who jumped ship from AIADMK, is also doing the rounds but sources indicated he may not replace Murugan as he has just been appointed as BJP Legislature Party Leader.

“BJP follows one leader, one post. With Murugan now in the Union Council of Ministers, the change of guard is imminent. Annamalai seems to be the front-runner as the party High Command feels a young leader at the helm will help the party,” a BJP leader said.

Annamalai, a Karnataka-cadre IPS officer, resigned from his post in 2019 and launched a foundation to help students in his native Karur district. He joined the BJP in 2020 and unsuccessfully contested the 2021 assembly elections from Aravakurichi.