K Annamalai said he would begin a movement that could evolve into a political party to contest the next Tamil Nadu assembly elections, after resigning from the BJP on Friday following weeks of speculation. The former state party chief called for an end to cult politics and the introduction of common man politics through his new Annamalai Makkal Iyakkam initiative.
He stated in a video message that the group would prepare to contest elections and outlined its core principles. Politics should not be controlled by families, he said, and the system of permanent leaders, MPs and MLAs must end.
Annamalai, a former IPS officer who resigned in 2019, founded the We The Leaders Foundation before joining the BJP in 2020 and becoming state president within a year. His campaigns and padyatra helped increase the party’s presence in Tamil Nadu.
Tensions arose after the BJP chose to ally with the AIADMK for the 2026 polls, contrary to Annamalai’s preference for contesting independently. He met senior leaders in Delhi before submitting his resignation over disagreements on strategy.
