CHENNAI: A day after the announcement of constituencies allotted to BJP in the AIADMK-led NDA in Tamil Nadu, party sources said former BJP state president K Annamalai is unlikely to contest in the upcoming Assembly elections, with only one seat allocated to the party in Coimbatore.
Meanwhile, BJP is also exploring the possibility of swapping two constituencies allotted to them – Thanjavur and Gandarvakottai - of which the latter is reserved for Scheduled Castes. DMK and its ally CPM had won these constituencies in 2021. While BJP may find it difficult to field a familiar face in Gandarvakottai, AIADMK has expressed interest in securing Thanjavur, they added.
Of the 27 constituencies allotted to BJP, only Coimbatore North falls within the six Assembly segments under the Coimbatore parliamentary constituency. Sources said Annamalai had preferred to contest from Singanallur or Kavundampalayam - neither of which was allotted to the party.
BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh chaired a meeting at the party headquarters in Chennai on Thursday to discuss the allotted constituencies, potential candidates and other things related to elections. However, Annamalai did not attend the meeting.
Senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan, who is likely to be fielded from Mylapore, and Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, who is expected to contest from Coimbatore North this time, were among those present. BJP is likely to release the candidate list for all the constituencies in a couple of days. Speaking to reporters, Vanathi said she hoped Annamalai would contest the elections and enter the Assembly.
Annamalai had contested from Aravakurichi in the 2021 Assembly elections and from the Coimbatore parliamentary constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, but lost both times. Earlier, in February, when the party appointed campaign managers for constituencies across the state, Annamalai had sought to be relieved of the responsibility citing his father’s health.