Amit Shah Signals Bigger Role for Annamalai, Says NDA Will Form Tamil Nadu Govt in 2026

28 June, 2025:

Signalling a larger role for Tamil Nadu BJP leader K Annamalai, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he will be a key player in the state's politics and will also take on important responsibilities at the national level. 

In an interview with a regional daily, Amit Shah emphasized Annamalai’s dual responsibilities. He stated that the former Tamil Nadu BJP chief will continue to play a major role in state politics while also handling tasks at the national level. 

This isn’t the first time Amit Shah has indicated a larger role for Annamalai outside of Tamil Nadu. After Annamalai resigned as state BJP president in April and Nainar Nagendran was appointed as his successor, Shah praised Annamalai’s leadership and time in the state.

Amit Shah called Annamalai’s leadership “commendable.” He noted Annamalai’s role in growing the BJP’s base in Tamil Nadu and spreading Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies to the grassroots level. In a post on X, Shah wrote, “As the President of the Tamil Nadu BJP unit, Shri K Annamalai Ji has made commendable accomplishments... The BJP will use Annamalai Ji's organizational skills in the party's national framework.” 

Shah also stated that the NDA will form the Tamil Nadu government in 2026. “The NDA will form the government in Tamil Nadu after the 2026 assembly elections, and the BJP will be a part of it,” Shah said in response to a question about whether the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would join the coalition government in an interview with Tamil daily Dina Thanthi, published on Friday. 

The BJP and AIADMK, which were once allies, had a bitter fallout in 2023 over various issues, including then BJP state chief K Annamalai’s criticism of senior AIADMK leaders. Both parties contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections separately. The AIADMK received a 20.4 percent vote share, marking one of its worst performances in a general election. The BJP, contesting more seats, got an 11.4 percent vote share, it’s best in Tamil Nadu, though neither party won a single seat. 

In April 2025, the two parties formally revived their alliance after months of behind-the-scenes discussions that began after the 2024 general elections.