He was the sole nominee for the position of State president. Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed this on Friday evening (April 11, 2025) via a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The Tamil Nadu BJP has received a nomination for the post of state president only from Shri @NainarBJP Ji.”

The Tamil Nadu BJP has received a nomination for the post of state president only from Shri @NainarBJP Ji.

As the President of the Tamil Nadu BJP unit, Shri @annamalai_k Ji has made commendable accomplishments. Whether it is carrying the policies of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji to…

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 11, 2025

In the same message, Amit Shah praised outgoing State president K. Annamalai for his leadership. “As the President of the Tamil Nadu BJP unit, Shri @annamalai_k Ji has made commendable accomplishments. Whether it is carrying the policies of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji to people or taking the party’s programs from village to village, Annamalai Ji’s contribution has been unprecedented. The BJP will leverage his organizational strengths in the party’s national structure.”

At the party’s state headquarters, Kamalalayam, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh announced, “We have received a nomination for the post of State president from Nainar Nagendran, which has been proposed by K. Annamalai, L. Murugan, Pon. Radhakrishnan, H. Raja, Vanathi Srinivasan, V.P. Duraisamy, Kanagasabapathy, Pon. V. Balaganapathy, K.P. Ramalingam, and Narayanan Thirupathy.”

Amit Shah’s Meeting with AIADMK chief over a possible alliance against DMK

Nagendran’s appointment comes at a crucial time, as the BJP is aiming towards forming an alliance with the AIADMK. The 64-year-old leader joined the BJP in August 2017 after leaving the AIADMK.

Last month Amit shah had met with AIADMK general secretary and current Tamil Nadu Leader of opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS). This meeting had birthed many rumours regarding a possible BJP- AIADMK alliance for next years election in Tamil Nadu against the ruling DMK. However, following this meeting many reports had emerged which claimed that AIADMK had demanded the ouster of Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai for any possible alliance between the two parties. Nainar Nagendran’s recent elevation to BJP state President only points towards the party’s acceptance to AIADMK’s terms.

ALSO READ: ‘Not in any race’: K Annamalai pulls himself out of Tamil Nadu BJP chief race

Nainar Nagendran’s political career so far

Mr. Nagendran began his legislative career in 2001, winning the Tirunelveli Assembly seat as an AIADMK candidate. During the AIADMK regime led by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa (2001–06), he held key portfolios, including Transport, Industries, and Electricity.

Although he won the same seat again in 2011, he was not given a ministerial role. He narrowly lost the seat in both the 2006 and 2016 Assembly elections. Following Jayalalithaa’s demise in 2016, he joined the BJP in early 2017.

In 2021, he regained the Tirunelveli seat as a BJP candidate and was appointed the party’s Legislature Party Leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. He also contested the Lok Sabha elections from Ramanathapuram in 2019 and Tirunelveli in 2024 but was unsuccessful in both attempts.