New Delhi, June 14 -- a credible independent presence. He grew the party's vote share to 11 percent without alliance partners, made himself the most recognizable BJP face south of the Vindhyas, and told the national leadership that seven more years of independent work would deliver a genuine breakthrough. The leadership gave him an AIADMK alliance instead. In the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, the alliance won one seat out of 234.

On June 5, Annamalai submitted a five-page resignation letter to BJP national president Nitin Nabin. "Our views do not align regarding Tamil Nadu," he wrote in the letter, after what he described as 18 months of persistent disagreements with the central leadership. He had first informed party headquarters ...