In the bustling political landscape of Tamil Nadu, one name reverberates with a tale of transformation and ambition — K. Annamalai. From his roots in law enforcement to his current position as a pivotal figure in the state’s political arena, Annamalai’s journey exemplifies dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to public service.
K. Annamalai, an Indian hotelier and former politician, represented the Tenkasi constituency in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2006 as a member of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Currently, he serves as the State President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu.
In 2019, shortly after Annamalai announced his decision to join the BJP, several DMK political leaders began criticizing him. They accused him of leveraging the political powers of the BJP government during his tenure as an IPS officer. In response, Annamalai addressed these accusations on social media, clarifying that he was appointed as an IPS officer during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
Annamalai completed his training at LBSNA Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, in September 2011. From December 2011 to September 2013, he trained at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy. In September 2013, he became the assistant superintendent of police in Karkala, Karnataka, a position he held until December 2014. He was then appointed superintendent of police in Udupi in January 2015, serving until August 2016, before being transferred to Chikmagalur, Karnataka, where he served until October 2018. Following this, from October 2018 to September 2019, he was the deputy commissioner of police in South Bangalore.
Looking forward to his first term in the Lok Sabha in 2024, Annamalai had a notable career as an IPS officer from the 2011 batch, serving in Udupi, Chikmagalur, and Bengaluru, earning the nickname ‘Singham (Lion) of Karnataka Police.’ In 2019, he resigned from his police role to focus on organic farming in his village in Karur district, Tamil Nadu.
Annamalai earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, in 2007. In 2010, he completed a PGDM in Business from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow. After resigning, he relocated to his village in Karur district to take up organic farming. He was initially groomed to be the CM candidate for Tamil superstar Rajinikanth’s party, which did not materialize. He joined the BJP on August 25, 2020, and became the state unit chief within ten months.
In the subsequent year, he ran in the Tamil Nadu state assembly election from the Aravakurichi constituency in Karur district, representing the BJP, but was defeated by DMK leader NR Elango.
As the youngest president of the Tamil Nadu unit, the 39-year-old leader has promoted the BJP across all 234 assembly constituencies in the state through his ‘En Mann, En Makkal’ yatra.
The Coimbatore constituency went to the polls in Phase 1 on April 19. Among the 37 candidates, Ganapathi Raj Kumar of DMK and Singai G Ramachandran of AIADMK contested the seat. The results will be announced on June 4.
Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency
In the 2024 elections, Annamalai has run for the Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency. He faced tough competition but brought new energy to the race. The Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency, situated in western Tamil Nadu, is the second-largest city in the state and holds the third-largest number of voters after Sriperumbudur and Chennai South. In the 2019 General Elections, CPI(M)’s P. R. Natarajan emerged victorious against BJP’s C. P. Radhakrishnan.
