Can BJP Win Tamil Nadu? Annamalai Answers | EXCLUSIVE

New Delhi: With Tamil Nadu’s 2026 assembly elections drawing closer, K Annamalai, the firebrand chief of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) state unit firmly dismissed speculation that the party might struggle to win the election if it goes solo. 

In an exclusive interview with Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami , Annamalai made it clear that the BJP's approach is rooted in “long-term growth” and “strategic alliances.”

Stressing that the BJP Tamil Nadu unit might steadily expand its footprint Annamalai said, “I am a small man in the party, but we need to understand Tamil Nadu politics. Without becoming number two first, no party will ever be number one.”

He pointed out that, historically, the BJP in Tamil Nadu has contested only around 20% of the state’s geographical area. But he noted the gradual growth, citing the party’s 11.3% vote share in the 2021 state elections, the first time a national party had crossed the 10% threshold since 1967.

Annamalai said achieving electoral success in Tamil Nadu would not be an overnight achievement. “It requires a hard path. Gujarat BJP chose that path, Odisha BJP chose that path. We have to be patient. The BJP is growing, and we are confident about the decisions the party high command has made,” he said.

He also hinted at the importance of Prime Minister * Narendra Modi 's leadership for the BJP’s continued success. 

Will BJP Join Hands With AIADMK Again? 

On the question of future alliances, Annamalai was clear: any future partnership must make sense to the voters. 

He rejected the idea of joining forces simply for electoral gains. "Voters should know what you're joining for, not just for the sake of joining," he said.