States » SouthPosted at: Jun 7 2025 10:45PM


Amit Shah lands in TN on 2-day visit to discuss 2026 Assembly poll strategy, meet BJP leaders

Chennai, June 7 (UNI) BJP master political strategist and Union Home Minister
Amit Shah landed in the Temple town of Madurai on Saturday night to hold key
discussions with BJP leaders on devising the strategy for the 2026 Assembly
and also to expand the AIADMK-led NDA alliance in Tamil Nadu roping in like
minded parties.
In a post on X before leaving for TN, Mr Amit Shah said he was looking forward to
attend the BJP events.
"Leaving for Tamil Nadu. Tomorrow, will chair a meeting of the state core committee
of the Tamil Nadu BJP, in Madurai", he said.
"In the evening, will interact with state, district, and mandal-level office bearers of the
BJP in Madurai", Mr Amit Shah said.
"Looking forward to attending the programs", he added.
On his arrival from New Dehi at 2230 hrs, he was accorded a rousing reception by
BJP cadres.
He was received at the airport by senior BJP leaders including State President Nainar
Nagendran, former BJP Presidents, MLAs, party Central observers, district functionaries
and core committee members.
Senior leaders of its alliance partner AIADMK were also present to receive him.
A five-tier security arrangement have been put in place in view of his visit and flying
of drones were banned for two days.
His visit was seen as party’s renewed outreach in southern Tamil Nadu to win a major
chunk of seats over arch rival DMK especially in the context of Mr Nainar Nagendran,
a former AIADMK strongman, hailing from the southern Tirunelveli district where he
has a considerable support base.
After an overnight stay, Mr. Shah will hold crucial discussions on strengthening the party
machinery to take on the ruling DMK and ensure its ouster in the polls.
He would have darshan and offer prayers at the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple
at around 1100 hrs on Sunday after which he would meet the members of the State
core committee and hold discussions with senior leaders of the party to discuss the
poll strategy and expanding the alliance by roping in potential partners, including the
PMK and the DMDK.
The issue of uniting the AIADMK the warring factions--one headed by General Secretary
and Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami and his bete noire and ousted leader
O. Panneerselvam, besides the AMMK of TTV Dhinakaran to strengthen the front was
also expected to figure during the discussions.
Mr Palaniswami had been stating that there was no question of reinducting Panneerselvam
back into the AIADMK.
Apart from meeting various levels of BJP office bearers, including party Central in-charges
for the State and National governing council members, including Mr Annamalai and outline
the road map for the polls, Mr Shah is also likely to attend a public meeting.
This is his second visit after his earlier visit confirmed renewal of alliance with the AIADMK,
which parted ways in 2023 in the run up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
His visit also coincides with the BJP and another right wing outfit Hindu Munnani planning to
organise a ‘Lord Muruga Devotees Conference’ later this month in the temple town of Madurai,
akin to the Vel Yatra launched by former State Chief K Annamalai.
The BJP is also keen to bring back the Vanniyar dominated PMK into its fold as
it has a substantial vote base in Northern districts. But at present it looked like a
divided party following differences between the top leadership and efforts were
on for a rapprochement to bring peace between the father and son duo of PMK
Founder Dr S Ramadoss and Dr Anbumani.
Though senior PMK leaders have initiated mediatory efforts and BJP advisor
and auditor S.Gurumurthy, who Mr Shah met during his last visit to Chennai in April,
also calling on Dr Ramadoss, Mr Nainar Nagendran sought to downplay it saying
the party has nothing to do with it as the BJP would never interfere in the internal
affairs of the other party, a point already stressed by Mr Amit Shah on uniting
EPS and OPS to face the polls as a unified AIADMK.
Mr Gurumurthy too downplayed the meeting saying he met Dr Ramadoss as a
old and long time friend and that he did not meet him as a BJP representative.
The BJP is also keen to retain the DMDK of late actor-politician Vijayakanth
which was visibly unhappy claiming that the AIADMK had failed to honour its
commitment of allotting a Rajya Sabha seat, elections for which are scheduled
on June 19.
However, in a bid to ensure that the DMDK remain in the front, Mr Palaniswami,
while announcing candidates for the two RS seats that it could win easily, promised
to allot a RS seat in 2026 to the DMDK, in what could be seen an effort to soothen
the ruffled feathers, though the DMDK maintained that its poll and alliance strategy
would be announced during the party's conference at Cuddalore on January 9, 2026.
It was in this backdrop Mr Amit Shah landed tonight in Tamil Nadu that was expected
to boost the party's strategy and also that of NDA in the upcoming elections.
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