NEW DELHI: After pushing organisation cohesion and laying out BJP’s agenda in West Bengal, home minister Amit Shah will be in another poll-bound state Tamil Nadu for two days from Sunday to give shape to the party’s strategy, where it is a junior partner to AIADMK, but will have to play a key role in guiding the alliance that faces a host of knotty issues.Shah’s schedule includes attending the closing ceremony of a state-wide yatra in Pudukkottai – which was led by BJP Tamil Nadu president Nainar Nagendran and has championed Tamil pride to counter the governing DMK-led alliance’s projection of the party as an organisation arraigned against the state’s values; presiding over a meeting of key BJP leaders and attending Pongal celebration.Sources said key BJP allies, including AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, may also meet Shah.His visit to the southern state is expected to push efforts for NDA’s expansion, which has hit roadblocks. While PMK, a BJP ally in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls when AIADMK had fought separately, has split into two factions, one led by its founder S Ramadoss and the other by his son Anbumani Ramadoss, another prospective ally DMDK, founded by actor Vijayakant and now headed by his widow Premallatha Vijayakant, is yet to finalise its stand.That BJP and Palaniswami, known as EPS, do not see eye to eye on the course the alliance must take to put up a strong contest against the DMK-Congress-Left alliance amid emergence of popular actor Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which has succeeded in draw a few regional satraps, especially from AIADMK, to its fold.While BJP is believed to be a votary of former AIADMK functionaries like O Panneerselvam and TTV Dhinakaran, who either quit or were expelled from the party due to their differences with EPS, returning to their parent party to project a picture of organisational unity and revival, EPS remains wary of welcoming them back, apprehending that they may challenge his grip over AIADMK.Union minister Piyush Goyal was in Tamil Nadu recently after being appointed as BJP’s election in-charge of the state and met EPS, NDA functionaries from the state are of the view that it will require Shah to step in and reach out to current and prospective allies to expand NDA. With his proven political skills and electoral track record, Shah has the authority and mojo to get them around to joining ranks for defeating DMK, which someone like EPS may lack despite AIADMK being the senior partner as his party has struggled to challenge CM M K Stalin.BJP brass will also need to bring its own house in order as its former president Annamalai, popular among the core BJP supporters, has been lying low and, at times, skipped key meetings.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos”No Control Over Minority Violence In Bangladesh…”: Former Indian Envoy Slams Yunus Govt“Infamous For His Tour With Anti-National Propaganda”: BJP Rips Rahul Gandhi Over Vietnam VisitInqilab Moncho To March Nationwide Seeking Justice For Sharif Osman Hadi14 Naxals Neutralized In Sukma And Bijapur As Security Forces Launch Anti-Maoist OperationHimachal College Horror: Student Dies After Alleging Sexual Harassment, RaggingIndia Reveals First Vande Bharat Sleeper Offering Faster Overnight Travel On Kolkata-Guwahati LineHindu Businessman Khokon Das, Hacked And Set Ablaze By Mob in Bangladesh, Dies 3 Days After Attack‘Slavery Destroys Heritage’: PM Modi’s Big Message After Unveiling Sacred Buddha Piprahwa RelicsBCCI Asks KKR To Release Bangladesh Player From IPL After Outrage Over Attacks On Hindu MinoritiesGovt Sends Notice To Elon Musk’s X On Grok AI Chatbot Misuse, IT Ministry Seeks Action Report123PhotostoriesHow to make protein-rich Rajma and Soya Kebab for snackingTop 9 cabbage dishes from around the world5 health facts about the world’s number one longevity food5 most photographed natural monuments in the world to explore in 20265 best Indian forests to see wild Asian elephants in JanuaryKrystle D’Souza’s roles that defined her TV career: ‘Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai’ to ‘Belan Wali Bahu’:TV celebrities’ cutest baby name choices: From Bharti Singh-Harsh Limbachiyaa’s Gola to Nakuul Mehta-Jankee Parekh’s Sufi and Rumi8 short and engaging books you can read in a single day8 traditional and comforting Maharashtrian rice dishes that are worth a tryTravel trend 2026: 5 destinations in Asia perfect for slow travel and ‘quietcations’123Hot PicksOperation SindoorVande Bharat Sleeper TrainJanuary Bank holidayGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingSan Francisco 49ersBrittany MahomesNoah Lyles and Junelle Bromfield Net WorthWayne Gretzky Daughter Net WorthSidney Crosby LifestyleLeBron James vs Stephen Curry Net WorthTom BradyLeBron James WifeCam ThomasCharlie Kirk
NEW DELHI: After pushing organisation cohesion and laying out BJP’s agenda in West Bengal, home minister Amit Shah will be in another poll-bound state Tamil Nadu for two days from Sunday to give shape to the party’s strategy, where it is a junior partner to AIADMK, but will have to play a key role in guiding the alliance that faces a host of knotty issues.Shah’s schedule includes attending the closing ceremony of a state-wide yatra in Pudukkottai – which was led by BJP Tamil Nadu president Nainar Nagendran and has championed Tamil pride to counter the governing DMK-led alliance’s projection of the party as an organisation arraigned against the state’s values; presiding over a meeting of key BJP leaders and attending Pongal celebration.Sources said key BJP allies, including AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, may also meet Shah.His visit to the southern state is expected to push efforts for NDA’s expansion, which has hit roadblocks. While PMK, a BJP ally in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls when AIADMK had fought separately, has split into two factions, one led by its founder S Ramadoss and the other by his son Anbumani Ramadoss, another prospective ally DMDK, founded by actor Vijayakant and now headed by his widow Premallatha Vijayakant, is yet to finalise its stand.That BJP and Palaniswami, known as EPS, do not see eye to eye on the course the alliance must take to put up a strong contest against the DMK-Congress-Left alliance amid emergence of popular actor Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which has succeeded in draw a few regional satraps, especially from AIADMK, to its fold.While BJP is believed to be a votary of former AIADMK functionaries like O Panneerselvam and TTV Dhinakaran, who either quit or were expelled from the party due to their differences with EPS, returning to their parent party to project a picture of organisational unity and revival, EPS remains wary of welcoming them back, apprehending that they may challenge his grip over AIADMK.Union minister Piyush Goyal was in Tamil Nadu recently after being appointed as BJP’s election in-charge of the state and met EPS, NDA functionaries from the state are of the view that it will require Shah to step in and reach out to current and prospective allies to expand NDA. With his proven political skills and electoral track record, Shah has the authority and mojo to get them around to joining ranks for defeating DMK, which someone like EPS may lack despite AIADMK being the senior partner as his party has struggled to challenge CM M K Stalin.BJP brass will also need to bring its own house in order as its former president Annamalai, popular among the core BJP supporters, has been lying low and, at times, skipped key meetings.
