Modi’s Madurai visit to change Tamilnadu’s political equations?

Chennai: All eyes are on the Madurai visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is set to happen just ahead of Pongal, the harvest festival of Tamilnadu.

The Prime Minister is coming to Tamilnadu to inaugurate 11 new medical colleges in the State. Chief Minister M K Stalin would also participate in the inauguration event.

Meanwhile, Modi will take part in an event christened ‘Modi Pongal’ in Madurai organised by the Tamilnadu BJP on 12 January, State BJP president K Annamalai said.

Annamalai in a statement said an integrated committee led by State BJP general secretary Karu Nagarajan has been formed to make arrangements for the ‘Modi Pongal’ event.

The party has planned a series of special Pongal celebrations at party mandal level in the state as part of the celebration from 7 January. It would culminate in Madurai on 12 January where the PM is expected to participate, said Karu Nagarajan.

Folk artists would be roped in to add colour and flavour to the event. ‘We are planning to bring at least 10,000 women to make pongal on the occasion. It will be a mega event in the state. The Modi Pongal festival is also aimed at boosting the morale of the party cadre ahead of the urban local body polls,’ he added.

Meanwhile, known for showing black flags and trending ‘Go back Modi’ whenever the PM visited the State n the past, the DMK is getting ready to welcome him this time.

According to party veteran R S Bharathi, ‘Modi is not our enemy. He is coming as our guest this time. Why should we show him black flags?’

DMK Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has reiterated that since PM Modi is coming to Tamilnadu to launch governmentt welfare schemes DMK welcomes him.

MDMK general secretary Vaiko on Saturday said his party could not take a decision on organising protests against Narendra Modi’s visit to Tamilnadu since it was part of an alliance.

When asked whether his party was planning any protests as in the past black flags were shown to Modi, he said it was for the alliance partners of the secular progressive alliance led by the DMK to decide.