Shah to hold talks with TN BJP leaders to take stock of State unit

CHENNAI: Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah on Saturday took stock of the State unit’s political activities and held discussion with senior party leaders and members of core committee on key issues related to the party’s growth in the State.

During the hour-long programme in the party headquarters, Kamalalayam, Shah insisted the office bearers of the state unit focus on party development and strengthen it at grass root level. On the occasion, party social media and IT wing president C T R Nirmal Kumar and state legal wing president Paul Kanagaraj submitted a memorandum regarding the cases filed against the party functionaries on various charges for their social media posts. “Shah has assured to take appropriate action against the fabricated cases filed against our functionaries, ” state BJP president K Annamalai said.

Shah interacted with union minister L Murugan, former state president and union minister Pon Radhakrishnan, party floor leader Nainar Nagendran, and several other senior leaders during the meeting.

Shah has also enquired about the situation in Coimbatore following the car bomb blast incident on October 23. Former state president C P Radhakrishnan appealed the union minister to strengthen NIA in the state to weed out the terror elements in the state.

Categorically denying any talk related to infight of the AIADMK during the hour-long meeting with Shah, Annamalai said, “Our party has already made it clear that our alliance with the AIADMK. It will not deal with personalities. The AIADMK cadres will decide their leader.”

On the meeting of former chief ministers Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in Madurai airport, Annamalai said the AIADMK leaders have sought appointment with the PM, who in turn, met them. “It was apolitical meeting, ” said Annamalai to downplay the role of the party in AIADMK infight over the leadership.

The visit of Shah gained significance as the national leadership of the saffron party is spending more time and resources in Tamil Nadu to win a decent number of seats in the forthcoming Lok Sabha 2024. According to state president K Annamalai, the present scenario in the state politics is the best opportunity for the party to make an inroad in the state and end the bi-polar politics.

Almost all day, union ministers' presence was felt in the state. So far, more than 30 union ministers, including senior ministers Nirmala Seetharaman and Piyush Goyal, visited the state and reviewed the Union government sponsored schemes and interacted with beneficiaries and the public. It was part of the BJP’s strategy to spread its wings and gain ground in the Dravidian land.

Amidst this, Shah's visit following the PM's visit would boost the morale of the party functionaries.