Chennai: With the BJP ground report not favouring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s candidature from Ramanathapuram, the party is explorating the possibilities of fielding him from either Kanniyakumari or Coimbatore.
BJP leaders Pon Radhakrishnan and CP Radhakrishnan had won from these seats respectively. Since Coimbatore and Kanniyakumari is a stronghold for the BJP at the grassroots level, there is a likelihood of Modi being considered for either of the two seats.
Sources in the BJP told IANS that the saffron party was pitching for the Prime Minister to contest from Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha seat. In the meeting of BJP state presidents, organising secretaries and party senior leaders from South India held in Hyderabad on July 9, several leaders had put forth the idea of Prime Minister Modi contesting from Ramanathapuram constituency which has a sizeable Muslim population. The seat is presently held by Navaskani of IUML.
However, after BJP conducted a detailed study into the seat, which revealed that the party does not have proper ground support in the constituency as well as booth committees. The party will have to piggy ride on the support extended by the AIADMK which is presently its ally in Tamil Nadu. This has prompted the party to think in the direction of Modi to be fielded from either Kanniyakumari or Coimbatore as they have sizable grassroots support.
Sources in the BJP that the RSS is also receptive to the idea of the Prime Minister contesting from either of the two seats. It is to be noted that BJP has been organising several programmes in Tamil Nadu with party senior leaders campaigning extensively in the state.
Prime Minister Modi is also proactively speaking on the Tamil language, Tamil culture and has recently got the Sengol from Tamil Nadu installed at the new Parliament. Political observers are of the opinion that the BJP is planning a major headway into Tamil Nadu by using the popularity of Modi. In both — Kanyakumari and Coimbatore — the party has around eighty per cent booth representations.
It may be recalled that Congress leaders Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi had contested from Chickmangalur, Bellary, and in Wayanad constituencies respectively. This is also considered as a reason for the BJP mulling the idea of Prime Minister Modi to be fielded in either Kanniyakumari or Coimbatore seats. BJP has big plans for South India and after the defeat of the party in the recent Karnataka Assembly elections, the saffron party is trying to get a major leverage through Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
As per the party’s detailed studies, Kerala is a hard state compared to Tamil Nadu and Telangana and with Prime Minister Modi’s candidature, the effect will percolate into all the South Indian states.
C Rajeev, Director, Centre for Policy and Development Studies, a think tank based out of Chennai while speaking to IANS said, “Prime Minister Modi contesting from either Kanniyakumari or Coimbatore can be a decision which have far reaching positive consequences for the BJP and the Sanghparivar. The BJP has been active in Tamil Nadu for the past few years and party candidates have won from Coimbatore and Kanniyakumari seats. This plan will help the BJP make inroads into all the other South Indian states.”