Chennai: Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah was accorded a warm welcome by the Tamilnadu unit of the party today upon his arrival in Chennai on a two-day visit. He was received at the airport by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his Cabinet colleagues.
Banners and festoons hailing Amit Shah were erected from Chennai airport to Kalaivanar Arangam where he was set to inaugurate a slew of welfare schemes alongside Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.
Folk arts performers, thavil and nadhaswaram players, priests chanting vedic hymns besides over 2000 cadres assembled at various places welcomed Amit Shah.
At the official function in Kalaivanar Arangam, Amit Shah was set to dedicate the newly-built Chennai’s fifth reservoir and laid the foundation stone for the second phase of Chennai Metro Rail project.
In his first visit to Chennai after assuming charge as Home Minister, Amit Shah will be meeting State BJP leaders later in the evening. With just a few months to go for Assembly elections, he will discuss strategies on facing the polls during with party leaders today.
Speaking to News Today, a BJP leader said, “We will brief him on the constituencies where we stand a chance to win. We will seek his guidance on various issues and discuss about our future course of actions”.
Ahead of Amit Shah’s visit, former MP and suspended DMK leader K P Ramalingam joined the BJP in the presence of senior leaders in Chennai.
Over 3000 security personnel have been deployed across Chennai including the private hotel in which Amit Shah would be staying tonight.
Three Additional Commissioners, four Joint Commissioners, 16 Deputy Commissioners have been deployed for his visit to Chennai. A bomb squad has also been in place.
All the staff in the hotel, where the Minister is staying have been tested for Covid already.
After taking part in the government function, he will be taking part in a discussion with both EPS and OPS.
“A national leader’s visit gaining traction in the context of regional politics, when elections are fast approaching, gives a loud message that BJP is starting to be a force to reckon with in Tamilnadu,” says a few political observers.
Remember in the past few months several leaders from various political parties and film personalities have joined the BJP. Amit Shah is expected to assign responsibilities for them during his interaction with senior leaders today.
Rajini meeting on the cards?
There are reports that actor Rajinikanth may meet Amit Shah at a city hotel tonight. While sources in the actor’s camp are maintaining silence, senior leaders in BJP say the meeting is unlikely. However BJP is keen to rope in his support in the polls.
Rajiv convicts release to be raised?
The issue of the release of seven life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, which was pending at Raj Bhavan more than two years after the State Cabinet recommended it under Article 161 of the Constitution, would be raised by the State government with Amit Shah, sources said.