Chennai, Nov 15 (UNI) Buoyed by the party's success
in the Bihar Assembly polls, senior BJP leader and
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be visiting the
city on November 21 ahead of the 2021 Assembly
polls in Tamil Nadu.
Mr Amit Shah's visit assumes significance as the
saffron party was planning to gain a foothold in
Tamil Nadu--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 Mr Amit Shah would participate in a government
function and three party events during his visit.
Since it was Mr Shah's first visit to the city after
Mr 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, Mr 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 Tamil Nadu, will be looking to gain a
foothold in the State by entering the Assembly with
good numbers.
Mr Murugan said Mr Shah's visit would enthuse the party
cadres and inspire them to work hard for the BJP's
victory in the polls.
Asked whether Mr 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 Mr Shah participating
in the BJP's Vel Yatra, Mr Murugan however, said Union Ministers
and Party National Secretaries would attend the yatras in
Coimbatore (November 22), Palani (November 23), Madurai
(December two) 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 December
six 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 Assembly polls, while managing to win some seats in Lok
Sabha polls riding piggy-back with either the AIADMK or the
DMK since 1998. It had also won one seat in 2014 LS polls
when it contested as a NDA front, sans the AIADMK and DMK.
UNI GV 1733