PM’s roadshow to up poll heat in TN

CHENNAI: Amidst the blistering summer heat, the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tamil Nadu for an extensive campaign and road shows for five days would further escalate the temperature of the political climate for the April 19 polls.

This is going to be Modi’s seventh visit to the State since January 20 this year. This time, he would be touring extensively between April 9 and April 15, covering many Parliamentary constituencies to canvas for votes for the candidates fielded by BJP and its allies.

Though it would boost the morale of the candidates, functionaries and cadre of BJP, it would boomerang in the electoral front as the DMK has been questioning the absence of similar keenness to visit the State when it suffered twin floods in December last year. Interestingly, this would give more ammunition to the DMK-led front to sharpen their attack against Modi, who seeks support for the third term as the PM.

Questions like “Why Modi did not pay a single visit to Tamil Nadu when it suffered unprecedented rains and flood?” and “Why is the Modi government not releasing financial assistance for flood rehabilitation works till date?” are already growing louder at the campaigns as the clock ticks for the 18th Parliamentary elections on April 19 in the State.

The DMK leader spearheading the campaign against Modi went ballistic over non-release of funds to the State and also took a dig at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during his campaigns. C M Stalin also ridiculed Modi’s frequent visit by stating that it would help them to increase the winning margin drastically.

Unfortunately, the national or the state leadership of the saffron party has no answer to these questions. Adding to this, the Union government is yet to release funds from the National Disaster Relief Fund, forcing the TN government to approach the Supreme Court regarding the issue.

The AIADMK also cornered the Centre for raking up the Katchatheevu issue. General Secretary of the party Edappadi K Palaniswami hit out at the BJP for remaining silent since 2014 and wondered the reason for digging up a five decades-old issue during the election time.

AIADMK spokesperson, D Jayakumar, also came down heavily on the Modi government over the issue and called it a “political stunt” staged for electoral gains. “Modi’s visit will not help the BJP here. People in Tamil Nadu always look at controversial leaders from the North through the lens of suspicion. The people here will never accept them and fear that the BJP will bring harm to the State and its development, “ said State Joint Secretary of AIADMK’s IT wing C T R Nirmal Kumar, who quit BJP a year ago.

He also questioned the intention of the BJP and its leader Modi for paying tribute to the victims of the serial bomb blast in 1998 in Coimbatore at the end of his road show on March 18.