Chennai: Buoyed by the party’s success in the Bihar Assembly polls, senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be visiting Chennai 21 November ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls in Tamilnadu.
Amit Shah’s visit assumes significance as the party is planning to gain a foothold in Tamilnadu–traditionally a fortress of the two Dravidian majors, AIADMK and the DMK–by replicating the Bihar’s success formula here.
BJP State Unit L Murugan told reporters on Sunday that Amit Shah would participate in a government function and three party events during his visit.
Since it was Shah’s first visit to the city after Murugan took over as the State unit Chief, the party would accord a grand reception to him all along the route from the airport to the BJP headquarters by following Covid-19 social distancing norms.
After participating in a government function, Shah would hold consultations with the party office-bearers, district in-charges on strengthening the party ahead of the Assembly polls and would later attend the BJP’s core committee meeting also.
The BJP, which has been steadfastly maintaining that its alliance with the ruling AIADMK will continue for the Assembly polls despite the state government refusing permission for the Vel Yatra and opposing some of the Centre’s policies that went against the interests of Tamilnadu, will be looking to gain a
foothold in the State by entering the Assembly with good numbers.
Murugan said Shah’s visit would enthuse the party cadres and inspire them to work hard for the BJP’s victory in the polls.
Asked whether Shah would meet Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, he said since he would be attending a government function there were chances of such a meeting.
Stating that there was no possibility of Shah participating in the BJP’s Vel Yatra, Mr Murugan however, said Union Ministers and Party National Secretaries would attend the yatras in Coimbatore (22 November), Palani (23 November), Madurai (2 December) and at Swamimalai, Tenkasi and Kannyakumari.
He said BJP National president J P Nadda has been invited for the final day of the Yatra at Tiruchendur on 6 December and a confirmation was expected in the next couple of days.
Except for the 2001 Assembly polls during which BJP gained entry into the State Assembly by winning four of the 21 seats as part of the DMK-led alliance, it was yet to taste success in the last couple of Assembly polls, while managing to win some seats in Lok Sabha polls riding piggy-back with either the AIADMK or the DMK since 1998.