Reports circulating in Tamil Nadu political circles say former state BJP president K. Annamalai is planning to launch a separate political party by June 15, with actor Rajinikanth’s support. There is also talk that the new outfit may field a candidate in the Perundurai Assembly by-election, and that Annamalai himself could contest.
During his tenure as BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief, Annamalai positioned himself as a sharp critic of the ruling DMK, frequently highlighting alleged corruption and building the party’s organisational structure through his “En Mann, En Makkal” padayatra. The report says he also developed a distinct support base of his own.
After he was relieved from the state president post, the party did not assign him a new role, and his supporters were also said to have been denied opportunities. Against this backdrop—and following the BJP’s poor performance in the recent Assembly election—Annamalai is believed to have decided to form a new party, according to the report.
Supporters have been sharing social media posts suggesting Rajinikanth’s backing, including images portraying the two as aligned. The report adds that Annamalai met Rajinikanth before the actor’s overseas travel.
The buzz has drawn mixed reactions. BJP’s NGO wing organiser Arjunamoorthy issued a statement seen as an indirect criticism, cautioning against turning “good hearts” into instruments for political gain. The report says Annamalai, who is travelling with family ahead of his June 4 birthday, plans to meet supporters on June 7 and announce the party name—among options said to include “Makkal Sevai Katchi”—before June 15. By-elections are expected within six months in Trichy East, Madurantakam, Dharapuram, Perundurai and Ambasamudram, with Perundurai emerging as a possible contest seat for him.
