Chennai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing delays in releasing its Tamil Nadu candidate list due to a deadlock over six key constituencies, party insiders revealed. The impasse has emerged as multiple contenders stake claim to seats, complicating the selection process.
According to sources, constituencies including Tiruppur South, Ramanathapuram, Manamadurai, Aranthangi, Avadi and Pudukottai have witnessed intense competition among aspirants, preventing consensus. The situation has been further complicated by efforts to accommodate former state president K Annamalai in one of the seats allocated to the BJP under its alliance arrangement.
During a core committee meeting chaired by Union Minister and Tamil Nadu election in-charge Piyush Goyal, the leadership urged Annamalai to contest the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections. Party leaders indicated that Annamalai is open to contesting from a constituency within the Coimbatore parliamentary region, where he secured a notable vote share in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
However, identifying a suitable seat remains challenging. Coimbatore North, the only segment in that region currently assigned to the BJP, already has a preferred candidate who is unwilling to step aside. As a result, alternative constituencies such as Modakurichi and Tiruppur North were discussed.
Tiruppur North, in particular, has drawn strong interest from several prominent figures, intensifying competition and delaying a final decision. Party insiders confirmed that no consensus could be reached during initial discussions.
Following the meeting, Piyush Goyal held a separate discussion with Annamalai, though details of the conversation remain undisclosed. Subsequently, the state unit shortlisted three candidates each for the six contested constituencies and forwarded the names to the central leadership for final approval.
Senior leaders present at the meeting noted that the central leadership has acknowledged concerns raised by party workers regarding seat allocation. Despite this, the leadership emphasized that the distribution of seats had been carefully deliberated beforehand and aligned with the party’s strategic priorities.
A final decision on the candidate list is expected soon, which is likely to clear the uncertainty surrounding the six constituencies and pave the way for the BJP’s electoral preparations in Tamil Nadu.