All About K Annamalai: Ex-TN BJP Chief Who Shook State Politics, Inspired ‘Singham’, Now Eyes National Role
K Annamalai, a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer turned Indian politician, served as President of Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from 2021 until stepping down in April 2025. Born on June 4, 1984, in Karur district of Tamil Nadu’s Kongu region, he hails from an agricultural background and belongs to the influential community in the belt.
The Kongu belt in western Tamil Nadu is considered one of the BJP’s few strongholds in the state. Annamalai has contributed significantly to help BJP emerge in the belt.
Against this backdrop, Annamalai's resignation, announced earlier this month, brings to a close a high-profile tenure that began in 2021 and was marked by energetic grassroots campaigns and a bold repositioning of the BJP in a state long dominated by Dravidian parties.
IPS Career: The Rise Of "Singham"
Annamalai completed his schoolings and earned a degree in engineering from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow. In 2011, Annamalai joined the IPS and underwent training at LBSNAA in Mussoorie and then at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy. His policing career began in Karnataka, where he gained public attention for his firm and uncompromising approach, eventually earning the moniker “Singham”, reported The Print.
He served as Assistant Superintendent of Police in Karkala from September 2013 to December 2014 and later as the Deputy Commissioner of Police, South Bangalore, from October 2018 to September 2019, reported The Mint. Despite a promising career, he resigned from the IPS in 2019, citing a desire to contribute more directly to public life.
Political Entry & Leadership In BJP
Annamalai entered politics by joining the BJP on August 25, 2020. Within a year, in July 2021, he was appointed as the youngest-ever president of the Tamil Nadu BJP. His dynamic leadership marked a significant shift in the party's outreach, as he focused on grassroots mobilization and statewide visibility.
Among his major initiatives was 'En Mann, En Makkal' (My Land, My People) yatra, through which he took the BJP's message and symbol to all 234 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu. This ambitious outreach campaign elevated his profile across the state and within national BJP circles.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Annamalai contested from the high-stakes Coimbatore constituency but narrowly lost to DMK candidate Ganapathy Rajkumar by over 17,800 votes. The defeat was a setback, but it did not dampen his popularity among party workers and supporters.
In another dramatic vow, K Annamalai publicly flogged himself six times, fulfilling a vow he had made at a press conference the previous day. He described the act as the first step in his “atonement” for what he called the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s failure to govern the state effectively.
In April 2025, amid speculation about leadership reshuffling and potential alliance talks with AIADMK, Annamalai declared that he would not seek another term as state president.
Yet, Union Minister Amit Shah praised Annamalai’s tenure as the Tamil Nadu BJP chief, acknowledging his efforts in strengthening the party’s presence in the state. He also assured that Annamalai’s organisational skills would continue to be utilised within the broader framework of the BJP. The Union Minister said, "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 people or the programs of the party from village to village, Annamalai Ji's contribution has been unprecedented"
"The BJP will leverage Annamalai Ji's organizational skills in the party's national framework," he said.
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