Kishan Reddy to attend BJP-organised event celebrating tungsten auction cancellation
The tungsten auction cancellation is a major development as it is believed to have been driven by social and environmental concerns.
G Kishan Reddy (PTI)
CHENNAI: Union Minister of Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy will grace the event organised by Tamil Nadu BJP in commemoration of the cancellation of the auction of the tungsten mineral block in Arittapatti, as part of his two-day visit to Tamil Nadu.
The tungsten auction cancellation is a major development as it is believed to have been driven by social and environmental concerns.
The Arittapatti tungsten mineral block is located in an ecologically sensitive area, and local communities have raised concerns about the potential harm the mining activities could cause. The cancellation of the auction is seen as a victory for environmental and social activists, who had been campaigning against the project.
The union minister is slated to visit Tamil Nadu on Monday (January 27). Talking about his visit, the Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson ANS Prasad said, “Kishan Reddy's presence at the ceremony is expected to underscore our party's commitment to environmental and social sustainability. The cancellation of the auction is a victory for the farmers, the people of Tamil Nadu, and the State BJP.”
In addition, Reddy, who has been appointed as the election in-charge by the BJP high command would oversee the election of the state president of the BJP.
As the election in-charge, Reddy will be responsible for selecting the new BJP state president and national executive council members for Tamil Nadu.
The two-day visit is expected to pave the way for the announcement of the new state leader, which is likely to take place by January 29.
While there is speculation that Union Home Minister Amit Shah may accompany Kishan Reddy on his visit, it remains unclear due to a parliamentary session scheduled on January 31. Sources within the party, however, confirmed that Kishan Reddy's visit is definitive.
The BJP's state leadership has been witnessing a churn, with several names doing the rounds as potential successors. Among the frontrunners are Nainar Nagendran and Vanathi Srinivasan. However, there is also a possibility that Annamalai may continue as the leader for the ensuing Assembly elections.
