Nainar Nagenthran | Man on a mission

On April 11, the BJP ensured a smooth transition in its State leadership in Tamil Nadu. Nainar Nagenthran, a three-time MLA from Tirunelveli who also served as a Minister in Jayalalithaa’s Cabinet, was unanimously elected as the State unit president of the party. The next day, he took over the reins from K. Annamalai, a former IPS officer who galvanised the party through his aggressive style of functioning.

Mr. Nagenthran’s elevation from the post of vice-president of the State unit was seen as a strategic move by the BJP’s high command to strengthen its relations with the AIADMK, which revived its ties with the national party earlier this month, nearly 19 months after walking out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), accusing the then BJP State leadership of slandering its icons.

The political career of Mr. Nagenthran has seen both successes and setbacks. Born in 1960 at Vadiveeswaram in Nagercoil, in Tamil Nadu’s southernmost Kanniyakumari district, Mr. Nagenthran traces his roots to Panagudi, a village nestled in the neighbouring Tirunelveli district. With an early interest in the natural sciences, he pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Botany from Arignar Anna College in Kanniyakumari. He later enrolled in MDT Hindu College in Tirunelveli, for a Master’s in Tamil literature, a course he eventually discontinued to focus on agriculture and his family’s business ventures.

A staunch admirer of legendary actor and former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran, he was drawn to politics in his college days, inspired by MGR’s charisma and ideology. He joined the AIADMK and quickly became active in its students’ wing, marking the start of a long and loyal association with the party for nearly three decades. When MGR passed away in 1987 and the AIADMK faced a turbulent split, Mr. Nagenthran threw his weight behind the Jayalalithaa-led faction, cementing his place in her camp.

His steadfast commitment and grassroots connection did not go unnoticed. Jayalalithaa appointed him deputy secretary in 1988 and then district secretary in 1989 of the party’s literary wing in the undivided Tirunelveli district. Later, from serving as the Valliyoor union secretary, he rose steadily through the ranks, earning the trust and confidence of party supremo Jayalalithaa, and was eventually elevated to the post of State secretary of the AIADMK’s Amma Peravai.

While Mr. Nagenthran, who belongs to the influential Thevar community in southern Tamil Nadu, had long been a dedicated party functionary, it was in 2001 that a major break came his way — a foray into electoral politics. Recognising his years of grassroots work, Jayalalithaa handpicked him as the party’s candidate for the Tirunelveli Assembly constituency.

Despite a favourable wave for the AIADMK-led alliance in the 2001 elections, Mr. Nagenthran could only scrape through with a narrow win. To his surprise, Jayalalithaa inducted him into her Cabinet and entrusted him with the Transport portfolio. Later, he went on to become Minister for Electricity and Industries.

In the 2006 elections, the DMK came to power, and Mr. Nagenthran narrowly lost the Tirunelveli seat by just 606 votes. The same year, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption filed a case against him for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income, leading to raids on his properties in Chennai and Tirunelveli. He made a strong comeback in the 2011 Assembly elections, winning Tirunelveli by over 38,000 votes. However, he was not inducted into Jayalalithaa’s Cabinet. In the 2016 elections, he lost the same seat again by a slim margin of 601 votes.

Joining BJP

Following Jayalalithaa’s death in December 2016, he joined the BJP in August 2017 in the presence of the then national president Amit Shah, citing inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed vice-president of the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit.

In 2018, he sparked a controversy by reportedly threatening Tamil lyricist Vairamuthu in a protest over the latter’s alleged remarks on Andal, one among the 12 Alwars (Vaishnavite minstrels). A case was filed against him. In the 2019 general elections, Mr. Nagenthran contested from the Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha constituency but lost by nearly 1.2 lakh votes.

After the 2019 elections, the then BJP State President Tamilisai Soundararajan was appointed Governor of Telangana. Mr. Nagenthran was speculated to be her successor, but the party chose L. Murugan instead. In the 2021 Assembly elections, he won the Tirunelveli seat as a BJP candidate. As the senior-most among the four elected BJP MLAs — three of whom were first-timers — he was appointed the legislature party leader. In both the 2019 and 2021 elections, the BJP contested in alliance with the AIADMK.

Even as the legislature party leader, Mr. Nagenthran continued to maintain a composed demeanour in the Assembly during fiery debates. Despite being a sitting MLA, he managed to get a ticket in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections but failed to succeed from his home turf, Tirunelveli. With his recent elevation to the State BJP’s top post, it remains to be seen whether Mr. Nagenthran would be able to sustain the momentum built by Mr. Annamalai and lead the party to new electoral successes.