CHENNAI, SEPT. 20. Agitated by persistent reports of the likelihood of the former Union Minister, Mr. P. Chidambaram, joining their party, senior Tamil Nadu BJP functionaries have communicated to the high command their strong opposition to any such move.

The general secretaries of the State BJP, Mr. L. Ganesan and Mr. H. Raja, in an informal chat with reporters today, conveyed their displeasure at national level leaders issuing statements indicating their approval of Mr. Chidambaram.

``We have told the national president, Mr. Bangaru Laxman, that if at all there is any move by Mr. Chidambaram to join the BJP, he should prevent it,'' they said.

Describing Mr. Chidambaram as an ``opportunist'' who was attracted to the BJP only by the promise of office, they said opposition to his entry was pouring in from the rank and file. ``We have been receiving many telegrams and letters opposing his admission into the BJP.''

Mr. Ganesan specifically took exception to the statement of the former vice-president, Mr. J. P. Mathur, that a person like Mr. Chidambaram could guide the Tamil Nadu BJP which lacked the right leadership. ``This only shows that Mr. Mathur does not know anything about Mr. Chidambaram and the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP,'' he said.

Making it clear that none from the State unit was in touch with Mr. Chidambaram, Mr. Ganesan said nothing much need be read into reports that Mr. Chidambaram had met Mr. Advani. ``As the Union Home Minister, Mr. Advani meets several political leaders.''

Mr. Ganesan said he did not want to treat lightly reports that Mr. Chidambaram wanted to join the BJP. ``He is quite capable of switching parties easily.'' A man like Mr. Chidambaram was not needed in the party. ``There is no dearth of intellectuals in the BJP,'' he said.

Insisting that Mr. Chidambaram did not have any mass following, Mr. Raja said a person who would not be able to even retain his deposit in a Parliamentary election could hardly be expected to provide the right leadership. ``His votes in the last Lok Sabha election, in which he finished third, were on account of the TMC's alliance with the Puthiya Thamizhagam,'' he said.

Mr. Ganesan admitted that reports of Mr. Chidambaram joining the BJP gained currency after the death of Rangarajan Kumaramangalam. Mr. Chidambaram could not be compared to Kumaramangalam, who had integrated himself into the BJP in a very short time. If Mr. Chidambaram joined the BJP, it would only be in the hope of his contesting from Tiruchi and becoming a Cabinet Minister wielding an important portfolio. ``But we do not want an outsider to contest from Tiruchi.''

Expressing confidence that the high command would not overrule the State unit's objections, he said the BJP would not want to repeat the Karnataka experience (when the high command forced a tie-up with the Janata Dal (S) in the last general elections despite opposition from the State BJP).