Amit Shah's Upcoming Two-Day Engagement in Chennai Starting April 10
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Synopsis
Amit Shah's two-day visit to Chennai starting April 10 includes significant meetings with BJP and RSS leaders, aiming to revive the AIADMK-BJP alliance ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Key Takeaways
- Amit Shah arrives in Chennai on April 10.
- Meetings with BJP and RSS leaders planned.
- Speculation about reviving the AIADMK-BJP alliance.
- Strained relations credited to K. Annamalai's comments.
- Importance of an alliance with a Dravidian party emphasized.
Chennai, April 6 (NationPress) The Union Home Minister and a leading strategist of the BJP, Amit Shah, is set to land in Chennai on the evening of April 10 for a two-day engagement.
During his visit, he will participate in several important meetings with senior leaders from the BJP and the RSS.
A senior leader from the Tamil Nadu BJP indicated that Shah is expected to meet with renowned RSS ideologue and Thuglak magazine Editor, S. Gurumurthy, on April 11. This visit is particularly significant following Shah's recent discussions with AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) in New Delhi.
EPS, joined by prominent AIADMK leaders and former Ministers S.P. Velumani and K.P. Munusamy, met with Amit Shah recently, igniting speculation regarding the potential revival of the AIADMK-BJP alliance, which dissolved in September 2023.
The strained ties between the two parties are primarily linked to Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai. His inflammatory comments regarding legendary Dravidian figures, including C.N. Annadurai (Anna) and Dr. J. Jayalalithaa, have provoked the AIADMK leadership and ultimately contributed to the alliance's disintegration.
It’s noteworthy that the AIADMK-BJP partnership in the 2021 Assembly polls yielded significant advantages for the BJP, resulting in victories for four seats.
The AIADMK, which held power from 2011 to 2021, succeeded in securing 66 seats in that election. Nonetheless, after Annamalai’s rise to state BJP president, relations between the two factions deteriorated.
The repercussions were evident in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where both the BJP and AIADMK experienced considerable losses.
According to sources, multiple senior RSS officials in Tamil Nadu have communicated to the BJP central leadership that forming an alliance with a Dravidian party is crucial for gaining political traction in the state.
With the DMK perceived as an adversarial force, the AIADMK stands as the only feasible partner. RSS leaders have reportedly stressed that any alliance should be solidified well before the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
AIADMK leaders have also signaled that EPS has asked Amit Shah to consider replacing Annamalai as the state BJP president. In a significant turn of events, Annamalai publicly stated on April 4 that he is not pursuing the position and will remain committed to the party as a dedicated cadre.
