Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai
According to reports, the three-month fellowship at the University of Oxford was planned well in advance. Annamalai had already made the decision to take a sabbatical even before the election results were known.
Reports suggest that Annamalai has approached the party high command for permission to accept the fellowship.
Earlier, BJP state vice-president Karu Nagarajan, according to TOI, said that the “course was from Sept to Dec. Only 12 people were selected from India and Annamalai was one among them, he said. “We are proud of our state president, who has been selected for the scholarship.”
Meanwhile, when questioned about the appointment of an interim state president (in-charge), Nagarajan indicated that the decision is up to the party’s national leadership. Notably, Annamalai’s term as state BJP chief concludes on July 17. Reports suggested that Annamalai had requested permission from the leadership to participate in the three-month program and to nominate an interim state president.