Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K. Annamalai has dismissed speculation about a rift or “cold war” with the current Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagenthran, insisting that there is no personal conflict between them. Speaking to reporters in Tirupur, Annamalai reiterated that he is focused solely on fulfilling the responsibilities assigned to him by the party. Addressing questions about his relationship with Nainar, Annamalai said that he is simply carrying out party-designated work and has no issues with the state leadership. His comments come amid internal party discussions and public speculation about leadership changes within the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit. Annamalai also touched on recent organisational shifts, including the reassignment of the party’s general secretary (organisation) position previously held by Kesava Vinayagam. He described the move as routine, noting that similar vacancies exist in BJP units in Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry, and that Vinayagam, a long-time RSS “pracharak”, returned to RSS work after completing his organisational role. On other political topics, Annamalai dismissed the idea of TVK leader Vijay joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), using a metaphor to suggest they do not mix—“tea and coffee cannot be mixed and consumed together.” He also criticised the Tamil Nadu government, alleging delays in land acquisition and tree-clearance processes for the AIIMS Madurai project, and accused Chief Minister M. K. Stalin of failing to adequately support its progress. The BJP leader reiterated his optimism about the NDA expanding in the state and expressed hope that more parties will join the alliance to challenge the DMK in the upcoming Assembly polls. He also called on the DMK to publish a comprehensive white paper on its welfare initiatives for minority communities, countering claims that the Central government had halted funding for such projects. @@@