Annamalai set to quit BJP? Here's a look at the party's most high-profile exits
The former Tamil Nadu BJP president, who turned heads with his aggressive anti-DMK politics and grassroots campaigns, reportedly had a fallout with the leadership over its reliance on the AIADMK ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
- Jun 4, 2026,
- Updated Jun 4, 2026 7:33 PM IST
K Annamalai, one of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) most recognisable faces in South India, is set to tender his resignation from the party on Friday. The former Tamil Nadu BJP president, who turned heads with his aggressive anti-DMK politics and grassroots campaigns, reportedly had a fallout with the leadership over its reliance on the AIADMK ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
As Annamalai prepares to head out the door, here's a look at the leaders who left the saffron party and shook Indian politics in the process
Top BJP leaders who left the party
B S Yediyurappa
He left the BJP in 2012 after being forced to quit as Karnataka Chief Minister over corruption allegations. Following this, the Lingayat strongman formed the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP), which dented the BJP's vote share in the 2023 assembly polls.
Recognising his influence over the Lingayats, the BJP central leadership brought him back in 2014, and the KJP merged with the saffron party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the same year.
Uma Bharti
The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister was expelled from the party in 2005 over "indiscipline". Her relationship with the BJP went downhill following disputes with senior leaders, especially over disciplinary action and her public criticism of the party's top brass, including LK Advani.
In 2006, she launched the Bharatiya Janshakti Party, hoping to create a Hindutva-led alternative while retaining her political base but failed miserably. Later, she formally joined the BJP in 2011 by merging her party into it and was tasked with reviving the party in Uttar Pradesh.
Kalyan Singh
The former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, who resigned from his post due to the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992, quit the saffron party over ideological disagreements with the central leadership. Later, he formed the Rashtriya Kranti Party before eventually returning to the BJP fold. After coming back to the BJP, the stalwart served as the Governor of Rajasthan from 2014-19.
Jaswant Singh
He was one of the founding members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and a former Union Minister. He was expelled from the party in 2009 over controversial remarks in his book on Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Although he was briefly reinstated in 2010, Singh left the party in 2014 when he was denied an election ticket from his home constituency — Barmer.
Babulal Marandi
He was the first Chief Minister of Jharkhand and one of the saffron party's tallest tribal faces. In 2006, he quit the BJP after being disillusioned with internal politics and some leadership decisions related to the tribal state.
Later, he established the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) as a regional force and remained a significant political player. After the party struggled to become the dominant force in the state, Marandi merged the JVM with the BJP. He went on to become one of the BJP's key leaders and headed the state unit.
Shankersinh Vaghela
One of the most influential leaders of the party in Gujarat in the 1990s, Vaghela felt sidelined after the BJP leadership backed Keshubhai Patel as the Chief Minister instead of him, post the 1995 election.
He rebelled against the party leadership and led a major revolt involving many MLAs. Vaghela then quit the BJP in 1996, brought down the Keshubhai Patel-led government and formed the Rashtriya Janata Party. In the same year, he became Gujarat CM with Congress support by merging his party with the grand old party.
He spent the next two decades in Congress and never returned to the BJP
Babul Supriyo
He left the BJP in 2021 after he was removed as the Minister of State during a cabinet reshuffle. Besides this, he felt marginalised within the BJP after its defeat in the 2021 West Bengal assembly polls. Supriyo had differences with the state leadership and strategy.
Despite announcing a retirement from politics initially, Supriyo joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC). He said that joining the TMC provided him a "new avenue" and an opportunity to continue public service rather than becoming "retired hurt" from politics.
K Annamalai, one of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) most recognisable faces in South India, is set to tender his resignation from the party on Friday. The former Tamil Nadu BJP president, who turned heads with his aggressive anti-DMK politics and grassroots campaigns, reportedly had a fallout with the leadership over its reliance on the AIADMK ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
As Annamalai prepares to head out the door, here's a look at the leaders who left the saffron party and shook Indian politics in the process
Top BJP leaders who left the party
B S Yediyurappa
He left the BJP in 2012 after being forced to quit as Karnataka Chief Minister over corruption allegations. Following this, the Lingayat strongman formed the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP), which dented the BJP's vote share in the 2023 assembly polls.
Recognising his influence over the Lingayats, the BJP central leadership brought him back in 2014, and the KJP merged with the saffron party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the same year.
Uma Bharti
The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister was expelled from the party in 2005 over "indiscipline". Her relationship with the BJP went downhill following disputes with senior leaders, especially over disciplinary action and her public criticism of the party's top brass, including LK Advani.
In 2006, she launched the Bharatiya Janshakti Party, hoping to create a Hindutva-led alternative while retaining her political base but failed miserably. Later, she formally joined the BJP in 2011 by merging her party into it and was tasked with reviving the party in Uttar Pradesh.
Kalyan Singh
The former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, who resigned from his post due to the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992, quit the saffron party over ideological disagreements with the central leadership. Later, he formed the Rashtriya Kranti Party before eventually returning to the BJP fold. After coming back to the BJP, the stalwart served as the Governor of Rajasthan from 2014-19.
Jaswant Singh
He was one of the founding members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and a former Union Minister. He was expelled from the party in 2009 over controversial remarks in his book on Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Although he was briefly reinstated in 2010, Singh left the party in 2014 when he was denied an election ticket from his home constituency — Barmer.
Babulal Marandi
He was the first Chief Minister of Jharkhand and one of the saffron party's tallest tribal faces. In 2006, he quit the BJP after being disillusioned with internal politics and some leadership decisions related to the tribal state.
Later, he established the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) as a regional force and remained a significant political player. After the party struggled to become the dominant force in the state, Marandi merged the JVM with the BJP. He went on to become one of the BJP's key leaders and headed the state unit.
Shankersinh Vaghela
One of the most influential leaders of the party in Gujarat in the 1990s, Vaghela felt sidelined after the BJP leadership backed Keshubhai Patel as the Chief Minister instead of him, post the 1995 election.
He rebelled against the party leadership and led a major revolt involving many MLAs. Vaghela then quit the BJP in 1996, brought down the Keshubhai Patel-led government and formed the Rashtriya Janata Party. In the same year, he became Gujarat CM with Congress support by merging his party with the grand old party.
He spent the next two decades in Congress and never returned to the BJP
Babul Supriyo
He left the BJP in 2021 after he was removed as the Minister of State during a cabinet reshuffle. Besides this, he felt marginalised within the BJP after its defeat in the 2021 West Bengal assembly polls. Supriyo had differences with the state leadership and strategy.
Despite announcing a retirement from politics initially, Supriyo joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC). He said that joining the TMC provided him a "new avenue" and an opportunity to continue public service rather than becoming "retired hurt" from politics.