Amid speculation over K Annamalai's absence from the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate list for the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections, he on Saturday made it clear 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 he chose not to contest,” reported news agency ANI.He said 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.The clarification came a day after the BJP released its first list of 27 candidates. Annamalai – widely seen as a key face of the party in the state – was notably missing, fuelling speculation that he had been sidelined, especially after the BJP renewed its alliance with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).‘How could the leadership allocate me a ticket?’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.”“I had already informed the core committee in writing that I would not be contesting in any constituency. Therefore, it is not that I was denied a ticket; the truth is that I chose not to contest the election,” ANI quoted Annamalai as saying.BJP's ‘Singham’ missingKnown as “Singham” for his stint as an IPS officer in Karnataka, Annamalai rose quickly within the BJP after taking over as Tamil Nadu unit chief in 2021. He spearheaded organisational efforts and led outreach campaigns, including the “En Mann, En Makkal” yatra, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.In the latest list, the party has fielded several prominent leaders, including Tamilisai Soundararajan, Vanathi Srinivasan, and union minister L Murugan, but the ‘Singham’ remained absent.The BJP and AIADMK had earlier parted ways after remarks by K Annamalai on CN Annadurai triggered friction.In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP went solo in the state, managing to raise its vote share to 11 per cent but failing to win any seats. After this, Annamalai stepped down as state president, with Nainar Nagendran taking charge.The BJP and AIADMK eventually renewed their alliance in 2025.Tamil Nadu pollsThe 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. Other allies include PMK (18 seats), AMMK (11), Tamil Maanila Congress (5), IJK (1), and Puratchi Bharatham (1).Tamil Nadu will vote in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4.The main battle is expected between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the AIADMK-led NDA. However, actor-turned-politician Vijay is also looking to make an impact, raising the possibility of a more triangular contest in the state.