Annamalai says he chose not to contest Tamil Nadu polls, denies BJP snub

K Annamalai on Friday clarified that his absence from the BJP’s candidate list for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections was a personal decision, dismissing speculation that he was denied a ticket.

Speaking to reporters at Chennai airport, the former state BJP chief said he had informed the party leadership well in advance about his decision not to contest. “I had clearly conveyed to the core committee that I will not be contesting from any constituency. So, it is not that I was denied a ticket—the truth is, I chose not to contest,” he said.

‘My decision, not a denial’

Addressing the buzz around his omission, Annamalai questioned the logic behind claims of a snub. “How can the leadership allocate a ticket to me when I do not want to contest?” he asked, adding that he felt the need to clarify the issue as it had become a subject of public discussion.

He also thanked the party’s central leadership for respecting his decision and said he would actively campaign for candidates of the BJP-led NDA in the state.

Campaign push and PM visit

Annamalai noted that Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Chennai after campaigning in Puducherry, and will interact with party leaders before heading to Kochi for further campaigning.

Seat-sharing buzz

The clarification comes a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party released its list of 27 candidates for the Tamil Nadu polls under the AIADMK-led NDA, with Annamalai’s absence drawing significant attention.

His name had earlier been linked to constituencies in the Coimbatore region. However, sources suggested he was dissatisfied with the seat-sharing arrangement, particularly after the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam retained key seats in the region.

According to sources, Annamalai had flagged concerns over seat allocation to the central leadership and conveyed his decision to opt out. He was also said to have sought the Singanallur constituency for the BJP, a request that did not materialise as AIADMK leadership retained control over seat distribution.