Nainar Nagenthiran Appointed Tamil Nadu BJP President, Replacing Annamalai:

On Friday, Nainar Nagenthiran, MLA from Tirunelveli, officially succeeded K. Annamalai as the new Tamil Nadu BJP President. His unopposed nomination marks a significant shift in the state party leadership ahead of crucial organizational realignments.

According to party sources, no other nominations were submitted for the position.

Amit Shah Acknowledges Annamalai's Contribution

Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised Annamalai’s leadership in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He credited the outgoing president with effectively communicating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies and expanding the BJP’s grassroots programs across Tamil Nadu. Shah added that Annamalai’s organizational capabilities would now be utilized within the BJP’s national structure.

The Tamil Nadu BJP has received a nomination for the post of state president only from Shri @NainarBJP Ji.

As the President of the Tamil Nadu BJP unit, Shri @annamalai_k Ji has made commendable accomplishments. Whether it is carrying the policies of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji to…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 11, 2025

Who is Nainar Nagenthiran?

Nagenthiran began his political career with the AIADMK, serving as Transport Minister (2011–2016) and as an MLA from 2001 to 2016. After the demise of Jayalalithaa and subsequent factional conflicts within AIADMK, he joined the BJP in 2017.

Since 2020, he has served as BJP Vice President in Tamil Nadu and won the Tirunelveli assembly seat in 2021. Although he contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and 2024, he was unsuccessful.

Notably, he appeared alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the recent Pamban Bridge inauguration in Rameswaram—an event seen as signaling his growing prominence within the party.

Appointment Aligns with Amit Shah’s Tamil Nadu Visit

Nagenthiran’s elevation comes as Amit Shah visits Tamil Nadu for two days. His Chennai itinerary includes meetings with BJP state leaders, a review of the party’s functioning, and discussions with RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy.

Ahead of the appointment, Nagenthiran remarked, “As per the party's suggestion, I have filed my nomination for the State President post. The final decision is with the senior leadership.”