CHENNAI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to visit Pudukkottai and Tiruchy in the first week of January as part of the BJP’s efforts to strengthen the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. During the visit, Shah is expected to participate in a public meeting in Pudukkottai and later attend a Pongal celebration to be held in Tiruchy, sources said.
Shah was earlier scheduled to visit the state on January 9, but the visit has now been preponed to either January 4-5 or January 5-6, as per sources. TN BJP president Nainar Nagenthran is set to conclude his statewide tour, which began in October, to coincide with Shah’s proposed visit. “We are yet to get his final schedule. Arrangements for the Pudukkottai meet will be made in line with his visit,” party sources said.
With the Assembly elections only three to four months away, Shah is expected to hold consultations with leaders of NDA parties, especially AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, during the two-day visit.
The visit falls close on the heels of talks between BJP and AIADMK held on December 23, when BJP’s TN election in-charge and Union Minister Piyush Goyal, along with co-in-charge Arjun Ram Meghwal, met AIADMK leaders, including Palaniswami, to discuss the prevailing political situation in TN.
The final composition of the NDA is yet to be decided, with breakaway AIADMK leaders such as T T V Dhinakaran and O Panneerselvam exploring alternative political options, and parties like the DMDK and PMK yet to clearly spell out their stand. Against this backdrop, Shah’s visit is expected to bring clarity regarding the final shape of the NDA in TN.
BJP leaders have been maintaining that more parties are likely to join the alliance after Pongal. The party is also likely to demand around 40 seats from the AIADMK, sources said.