Chennai, June 6 (UNI) BJP poll strategist and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be

visiting Tamil Nadu on June 8, Sunday and is expected to hold key deliberations with

the BJP leaders on devising the strategy for the crucial Assembly elections which is

about less than 10 months away.

Mr Amit Shah will be landing in Madurai where he was expected to meet the State BJP

leaders and core committee members, besides the alliance party leaders, including its

key partner the main Opposition, heading the NDA alliance in the State.

He is also expected to attend a public meeting.

This will be his second visit to Tamil Nadu in the recent past. During his earlier visit he

announced the revival of alliance with the AIADMK by addressing a press conference

and exuded confidence of the AIADMK, heading the NDA, forming the next government

in 2026 in the State.

During his current visit, he was also expected to focus on discussions on bringing in its

past allies, including the PMK to the NDA fold and retaining the sulking DMDK of later

actor-politician Vijayakanth in the alliance, besides including ouster AIADMK leader

O Panneerselvam and AMMK led by TTV Dhinakaran--both opposing the DMK--in the

NDA.

DMDK has been keeping its options open on its alliance strategy after it was denied

Rajya Sabha seat by AIADMK as promised during 2024 Lok Sabha polls, a point which

was denied by AIADMK General Secreraty Edappadi K Palaniswami himself saying

no such commitment was given.

DMDK General Seceretary Premalatha Vijayakanth said her party poll strategy and

alliance will be announced in January 2026 after the DMDK's meet in Cuddalore, while

keeping her options open, though the allies of the ruling DMK had openly stated that they

were willing to accommodate the DMDK as part of the alliance and that Chief Minister

and DMK President M K Stalin would take a final call.

They key issue before the BJP is to get back a now 'divided' PMK to its fold to strengthen

the alliance as it has a considerable Vanniyar support and vote base in the Northern districts.

However, this seems to be the bone of contention within the top leaders of the PMK

leading to simmering differences and war of words between the Party Founder

Dr S Ramadoss and his son and Party President Dr Anbumani.

The growing differences--which emerged following a public spat when Anbumani stoutly

opposed posting his nephew Mukundan Parasuraman as the Youth Wing Secretary

and Dr Ramadoss taking over full control of the party, demoting his son as Executive

President from the post of Party President--further widened between the two in the last

few days.

The father-son row in the PMK's first family virtually reached a point of no return after the

senior Ramadoss went to extent of saying that he had committed a grave mistake by

making Anbumani as Union Minister and that he lacked leadership qualities, though the

latter asserted he was still the Party President duly elected by the General Council.

It was in this backdrop, Dr Anbumani in a bid for reconciliation, decided to bury the

hatchet and met his father at his Thailapuram residence for about 45 minutes. But what

had transpired was not known, though it was believed that both of them have discussed

on the need for PMK to stay united with the elections fast approaching.

It was in this context, RSS ideologue Auditor S Gurumuthy, editor of Tamil Magazine

'Thuglaq' and was also said to be political advisor to BJP, called on Dr Ramadoss at

his residence in Tindivanam last evening along with AIADMK leader and former

Chennai Mayor Saidai Duraisamy.

Though both of them were believed to stressed the point on the need that PMK should

stayed united with the elections approaching and also the need to strengthen the NDA

by aligning with the BJP, Mr Gurumurthy sought to down play the meeting saying he

met Dr Ramadoss as a long time friend.

There was nothing political and that he did not meet him as a representative of the BJP,

he said and reiterated that Dr Ramadoss was his long time friend and had met only in

that capacity.

On the significance of his visit immediately after Dr Anbumani's meeting with his father,

Mr Gurumuthy (whom Mr Amit Shah met at his residence during his earlier visit) said he

was not aware of it.

Meanwhile, BJP State President and Legislature Party leader Nainar Nagendran also

did not attach too much significance to Mr Gurumuthhy's meeting with the PMK Leadership

saying the BJP has nothing to do with it.

He, however, hastened to add that any Party (read PMK) was welcome to join and

strengthen the NDA to unseat the DMK in the 2026 Assembly polls.

On Mr Stalin's contention that not ever Amit Shah, no Shah could rule Tamil Nadu, Mr Nainar

Nagendran said Mr Amit Shah will set his foot in Madurai (where the DMK held its General

Council after a gap of 48 years a few days back) and will set his foot again in the State,

while exuding confidence of NDA headed by AIADMK forming the next government in 2026.

It was in this backdrop the visit of Mr Amit Shah on Sunday assumed political significance

as the BJP is eyeing to win a major chunk of seats in southern districts in the polls considering

the fact that Mr Nainar Nagendran--a former AIADMK strongman and a MP--is a native of

southern Tirunelveli district and has a good following among the voters.

The BJP is now eyeing to cash in on this advantage using his popularity among the voters.

UNI GV 1640