Born to Kuppusamy and Parameshwari on June 4, 1984, in Thottampatti village in Karur district in western Tamil Nadu, Annamalai belongs to the Kongu Vellalar Gounder community.
Updated: June 7, 2026, 7:07 AM IST
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K Annamalai (AI Image)
New Delhi: Former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai, who quit the party on Friday, said he was beginning a new political journey aiming to usher in “common man politics,” distancing itself from traditional personality-driven politics and rejecting sycophancy and hereditary power. According to reports, nearly 1.4 million people signed up to join the movement within 24 hours of its announcement.
When Annamalai joined the BJP in August 2020, nobody expected that within weeks, he would be appointed as party vice president and then elevated within a year as BJP state president. However, it happened and he served as president till April 2025. When Annamalai was replaced with Nainar Nagenthran to revive electoral ties with the AIADMK for the 2026 polls, the former IPS officer’s supporters said in social media that “Annamalai will not bow before the AIADMK and hence was replaced.”
ALSO READ: Day after BJP exit, Annamalai’s new political movement attracts nearly 14 lakh supporters
Why Did Annamalai Leave the BJP?
Former K. Annamalai, an ex-officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS), explained the reasons behind his resignation in his letter. He wrote, “At this juncture, I would like to reflect on the many conversations I have had with the top leadership and the disagreements I have expressed over the past 18 months.”
Annamalai further stated, “I do not wish to place any additional burden on the top leadership with my views on the future course of development-oriented and culturally rooted politics in Tamil Nadu. After discussions with our senior leadership, I have come to the conclusion that our visions for Tamil Nadu do not align.”
Annamalai’s Movement Gains Support from Millions
After starting the movement, Annamalai called it the next phase of his public and political journey and appealed to young people and ordinary citizens to join him. Annamalai said, “It is a significant thing for an ordinary person to enter politics.”
He emphasized the need for people-centric politics and called for an end to a political culture dominated by career legislators and parliamentarians. He added: “We want to take politics back to the people.”
Annamalai further stated:
“Patience and perseverance will be required to move this movement forward step by step. Our goals are now much larger. We need a kind of politics that can bring real change. We are building a politics of transformation and laying the foundation for future generations.”
K Annamalai: All You Need To Know
Born to Kuppusamy and Parameshwari on June 4, 1984, in Thottampatti village in Karur district in western Tamil Nadu, Annamalai belongs to the Kongu Vellalar Gounder community. He graduated in Mechanical Engineering from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, and completed masters in Business Administration from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow.
After clearing the civil service exam in 2011, Annamalai served as IPS official in Karnataka till his resignation in 2019 to join the BJP in August 2020. Despite his high-profile visibility, and groundwork, he could not succeed in electoral politics; he unsuccessfully contested the Tamil Nadu Assembly election from Aravakurichi in 2021 and Lok Sabha polls in 2024 from Coimbatore.
During his tenure in Udupi, Annamalai became popular with his crime control measures. He became popular among his fans as “Singham” (lion) due to his policing style. Alongside his rise in popularity, he faced allegations and strong criticism as well. In December 2022, he faced criticism from his political adversaries for possessing the expensive Rafale special edition wristwatch. Four months later, he released a purchase bill for the watch.
In July 2025, Annamalai denied any irregularities in purchasing agricultural land near Coimbatore, reportedly for taking up organic farming. He was heavily criticised and even ridiculed when he whipped himself outside his Coimbatore residence as a penance and symbolic protest against the then DMK government. It was also against police over the alleged sexual assault of a woman student of Anna University, Chennai, in December 2024.
He also took a vow to walk barefoot and observe a 48-days fast to oust the DMK from power. Later, Nainar Nagenthran gifted him a pair of chappals and requested him to wear them, which he obliged.
