Overview
- Annamalai, who clarified on Saturday, said he chose not to contest and returned from campaigning in Kerala to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai.
- He said he informed the BJP core committee in writing, was not on the list of probables, and will campaign in Kerala and Puducherry until April 7 before covering Tamil Nadu through April 23.
- The BJP said he will work across the state rather than seek one seat, as it named 27 candidates within an AIADMK-led alliance that controls most constituencies.
- Party insiders noted his reduced formal role since 2025 after the BJP-AIADMK rapprochement, and some leaders warned his absence from the ballot could dampen youth-driven turnout, especially around Coimbatore.
- He said he will explain his decision after the May 4 count, while reporting continues to probe whether seat-sharing with the AIADMK factored into his choice.