With Annamalai stepping down and the BJP-AIADMK alliance in place, the former state chief may be headed for a national role or greater Southern responsibility.

With Nainar Nagendran now leading the BJP Tamil Nadu unit and the alliance with AIADMK officially revived, all eyes are on outgoing state chief K Annamalai. His resignation is seen as a strategic move to “facilitate” the alliance, and speculation is mounting about his next political role — either at the national level or in a key position in the South.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah fueled speculation during a recent event in Chennai, praising Annamalai’s “unprecedented contributions” and indicating that the BJP would “leverage Annamalai ji’s organisational skills in the party’s national framework.”

A senior BJP source, requesting anonymity, said that Annamalai — a former IPS officer turned politician — could be appointed as a national vice-president or general secretary. While there are currently no plans for a Union Cabinet reshuffle, a future government role for Annamalai is also possible. “He may need to wait as we already have a minister from the region (L Murugan),” the leader said.

During his tenure, Annamalai significantly expanded the BJP’s influence in Tamil Nadu. The party’s vote share rose from just over 3% in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to more than 11% last year. However, his resistance to an alliance with AIADMK had created friction. “He was clear that BJP should go solo. But the party saw long-term strategic benefit in allying with AIADMK,” noted another BJP leader.

Sources within the party now suggest that Annamalai will remain active in the South, especially in neighboring Kerala. “He will be one of the key figures in our Kerala campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections,” a senior BJP functionary said. “Until he takes on a formal national or Union government role, his focus will remain in the South.”

Despite his popularity, caste dynamics may limit Annamalai’s future prospects in Tamil Nadu, given that both he and AIADMK’s Edappadi K Palaniswami belong to the Gounder caste, potentially making it politically tricky for the BJP to promote both leaders prominently in the same region.