Chennai, Apr 3:
The Bharatiya Janata Party released its list of 27 candidates for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, as part of the NDA alliance led by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
The list has drawn attention for the absence of former state BJP president K. Annamalai. While the central leadership was reportedly keen on fielding him, he is said to have preferred Coimbatore North, a seat that has been allotted to Vanathi Srinivasan.
Adding to the buzz, several leaders considered close to Annamalai have also not been given tickets. Names such as Amar Prasad Reddy and Surya are among those reportedly left out, indicating possible internal recalibrations within the party ahead of the polls.
Among prominent candidates, former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan will contest from Mylapore, while state BJP president Nainar Nagendran has been fielded from Sattur. Union Minister L. Murugan will contest from Avanashi (SC). Additionally, S. Vijayadharani, who joined the BJP after leaving the Congress, has been nominated from Vilavancode.
With 27 seats allocated to the BJP in the alliance, the candidate list reflects a mix of senior leaders and strategic selections, even as internal dynamics continue to attract attention.