Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai is expected to return to Chennai on November 28 after a three-month stay at Oxford University to study international relations. However, as he prepares to return, a faction within the Tamil Nadu BJP is pushing for his removal as state president.

Sources in the Tamil Nadu BJP told IANS that several party leaders have already written to the party high command seeking Annamalai’s replacement.

These leaders argue that with actor Vijay’s recent entry into the political scene through his TVK, the BJP’s prospects in Tamil Nadu have darkened and they feel that a strong political alliance is crucial for future success.

Annamalai’s critics have also urged national leaders to consider an alliance with the BJP’s former ally the AIADMK, saying contesting the upcoming elections alone would likely result in significant setbacks for the party.

They point to the BJP’s poor showing in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, in which the party, despite multiple visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and extensive campaigning, failed to secure a single seat.

These leaders believe that Annamalai’s idea that the BJP could win Tamil Nadu on its own is unrealistic and stems from his lack of political experience.

They point out that the AIADMK, which commands over 33% of the state’s votes (in the 2021 Assembly polls), second only to the DMK, remains a powerful force in Tamil Nadu politics.

According to these leaders, Annamalai’s critical remarks against iconic Dravidian figures, such as CN Annadurai, strained the BJP’s relations with the AIADMK.

They argue that only a new leader with friendly ties with other parties can form alliances that would benefit the BJP in the upcoming assembly elections.

A senior BJP leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, commented: “The central leadership of the BJP is committed to inclusive politics and has formed alliances with the TDP and the JD(U) to maintain the NDA rule at the Centre. Chandrababu Naidu of the TDP and Nitish Kumar of the JD(U) had earlier opposed the BJP, but politics is the art of the possible. By allying with them, the BJP is prioritizing practical politics, and this approach is needed in Tamil Nadu too. »

He further highlighted that the BJP’s success in Tamil Nadu depends on alliances, noting that a strong coalition with parties like AIADMK, DMDK and PMK could create a formidable challenge for the DMK.

While Vijay says he sees the BJP as his ideological adversary and the DMK as his political rival, a strong alliance with the AIADMK could significantly strengthen the BJP’s position in the 2026 elections.

Annamalai left for the UK on August 28 for a three-month course at Oxford and is expected to return to Chennai on November 28.

The question remains whether he will retain his leadership role or whether the BJP will choose to install a new state president better placed to forge alliances.