TIRUCHY: Riding on Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi's back-to-back visits in January, the party’s Tiruchy unit has commenced preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha election by opening a new election office, launching the 'wall-writing' campaign and reaching out to voters of the constituency.
In his first public interaction of the year, the prime minister attended Bharathidasan University’s convocation alongside Chief Minister MK Stalin on January 2. Returning to Tiruchy weeks later, the PM visited Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam - a first by any prime minister -- on January 20.
With it marking the launch of the BJP's poll campaign in Tiruchy constituency, the party district unit, not waiting for the election dates to be announced, has since made several leaps, in neighbouring Pudukkottai as well, like opening a new election office and launching the 'wall-writing' campaign where party workers paint the 'lotus' symbol on walls.
To reach out to the masses, stickers of the BJP's poll symbol are being pasted on walls at 10,700 locations under its 10-hour, door-to-door campaigning in six Assembly constituencies of the district, a party source said. Leema Shiva Kumar, the BJP's district vice president, said, "We will conduct a positive campaign.
We believe we are in second position (among public’s favourite parties) now. We will win the constituency and bring changes like how [ex-MP] Rangarajan Kumaramangalam did by constructing important flyovers in a short span. There will be change because of (party state president) K Annamalai's yatra and PM Modi's pro-people schemes at the Centre."
Further, mentioning the party having so far set up committees in 1,200 of the total 1,640 booths in Tiruchy, Shivasubramanian, the BJP's Tiruchy constituency in-charge, said training sessions for workers will begin soon. "During party president JP Nadda's Chennai visit, all in-charges from 39 constituencies will converge for a meeting with him to discuss strategy for the polls," he added.
According to sources, Shivasubramanian and co-in-charge Dr RG Anand are eyeing the party’s ticket from the constituency. Both have said they will focus their campaign on the BJP's achievements at the Centre and the "ineffectiveness" of incumbent MP Su Thiruvanavukkarasar from the Congress. Both also affirmed that they would abide by the party decision on candidature.
Dr Anand, who has started campaigning in several pockets of Tiruchy and Pudukkottai, said the focus now is on tribal villages and similar rural pockets. The BJP's confidence, senior leaders in the district say, stems from the belief that they have taken up the position of the actual opposition in the state as the AIADMK, a former ally, “remains divided” after the split.
"In every public meeting in Tiruchy, the DMK is focusing its campaign against PM Modi and they barely speak against former CM Edappadi K Palaniswami. This shows the growth of the BJP in Tiruchy and the state," a senior leader said.
"The AIADMK is weak due to the formation of many factions. Some find they have lost the opportunity to grow in the party. Due to this many leaders are joining the BJP voluntarily," he added. DN Thilak, former MGR Mandram (MGR fan club)’s Tiruchy vice president who recently joined the BJP along with a few of his supporters, said,
"The AIADMK has become like the DMK. The party is controlled by a few of its former ministers. Beyond them no one can grow in a particular district or region. Party positions are sold to the highest bidder. It's not Amma's party anymore."