Senior BJP leader and former Tamil Nadu minister, Nainar Nagendran, is set to become the new president of the party's Tamil Nadu unit. He was the only candidate to file a nomination for the post.
Nagendran’s name was proposed by current state Bharatiya Janata Party chief K Annamalai. Several top leaders, including Union Minister L. Murugan, former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, and BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, also supported his nomination.
The official announcement will be made on Saturday at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.
Nagendran’s elevation comes at a crucial time. The BJP is reportedly working to renew its alliance with the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu.
Also read: Annamalai steps down, BJP to name new chief by April 9
Nagendran is currently the BJP state vice president. He was earlier with the AIADMK and served as a minister in the Tamil Nadu government from 2001 to 2006. During that time, the state was led by Chief Ministers J Jayalalithaa and O Panneerselvam.
He joined the BJP in August 2017, becoming one of several AIADMK leaders to switch sides. Soon after, he was appointed as the party’s vice president in the state.
Nagendran has a strong electoral record. He has been elected three times from the Tirunelveli constituency. He won in 2006 and 2011 as an AIADMK candidate, and again in 2021 as a BJP candidate. In the 2021 election, he defeated the DMK candidate by a margin of 23,107 votes.
Following his win in 2021, Nagendran was chosen as the leader of the BJP’s legislative party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
He was the first to arrive at the BJP state headquarters in Chennai to file his nomination. His unopposed selection signals a broad consensus within the party.
Nagendran's appointment is expected to strengthen the BJP’s position in the state, especially as the party gears up for key alliances ahead of future elections.
Follow us
