A month after the BJP ended up with zero seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the state’s Chief Minister K Annamalai is reportedly set to go on a sabbatical to the UK under his Chevening Gurukul Fellowship for Leadership and Excellence from Oxford University.
Annamalai’s departure has led to rumours that the party leader is reeling due to insufficient support from senior leaders and differences over whether to contest the 2026 Assembly elections in a coalition. Annamalai has insisted on running alone for the BJP, a stance that has created friction with the AIADMK and led to a split between the two parties ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Her comments critical of AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa were a major factor in the AIADMK severing ties with the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
According to multiple reports, Annamalai’s three-month fellowship was scheduled even before the election results were announced. The program, scheduled to run from mid-September to December, is targeted at young leaders who show strong leadership potential. Annamalai reportedly sought the commander-in-chief’s approval to participate.
Despite leading an ambitious election campaign in Tamil Nadu and frequent visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leaders, Annamalai lost his seat in Coimbatore. Despite his defeat in the Lok Sabha, the 39-year-old party leader is reportedly enjoying the support of the BJP, who credits his aggressive style with strengthening its presence in Tamil Nadu.
In 12 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP-led NDA came second, ahead of the AIADMK.
According to a report in the Indian Express, the BJP leader said Annamalai was eager to accept the fellowship as a much-needed break to rejuvenate himself after the elections and the massive “En Mann, En Makkal” protest march. The leader was quoted as saying he saw the break as beneficial for his wider ambitions.
