Amid speculation over K Annamalai's absence from the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate list for the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections, he clarified that the decision was his own.
Speaking to reporters at Chennai airport, the former state BJP chief said he wasn't denied a ticket, but chose not to contest.
He had already informed the party leadership in writing of his decision to stay out of the electoral fray and to campaign for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Thanking the leadership, he said he was 'grateful' that his choice had been respected.
Addressing the controversy directly, Annamalai said, 'Since this has become a topic of discussion in the media, I am clarifying it here. When I did not express any interest in contesting, how could the leadership allocate me a ticket?'
He added, 'If I had decided to contest, it wouldn't have mattered which constituency I could have contested from anywhere.'
BJP's 'Singham' missing, Annamalai rose quickly within the BJP after taking over as Tamil Nadu unit chief in 2021.
The BJP and AIADMK had earlier parted ways after remarks by K Annamalai on CN Annadurai triggered friction.
Tamil Nadu polls: The BJP is contesting 27 seats as part of the NDA alliance led by the AIADMK, which will field candidates in 169 of the 234 constituencies.
