BJP sets out to woo Tamils; manifesto promises global Thiruvalluvar cultural centres

In a bid to strengthen ties with the people of Tamil Nadu, where his party is seeking support, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Sunday (April 14) that the BJP will endeavour to establish Thiruvalluvar cultural centers worldwide.

"We will build Thiruvalluvar cultural centres all over the world. The world's oldest Tamil language is our pride. BJP will undertake every effort to enhance the global reputation of Tamil language," Modi said while releasing the BJP's manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls.

Thiruvalluvar was a noted Tamil poet and philosopher. The prime minister has in the past asked the youth to read Thiruvalluvar's book "Kural", a celebrated Tamil text which offers wisdom on ethics and morality in different aspects of life.

Unconquered frontier

For the BJP, Tamil Nadu is an unconquered frontier along with neighbouring Kerala, which sends 20 MPs to the Lok Sabha.

Both states go to the polls in the first two phases of the general election, on April 19 and 26.

The five southern states of Tamil Nadu (39 seats), Karnataka (28), Andhra Pradesh (25), Kerala (20), Telangana (17) and the Union territory of Puducherry (1) together have 130 seats.

The BJP won only 29 in the 2019 general elections, of which 25 were from Karnataka alone and four from Telangana.

The party drew a total blank in the 85 seats in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry.

The prime minister has made more than half-a-dozen visits to Tamil Nadu as the BJP aims to strike it big in the Lok Sabha elections where it has set a target of more than 400 seats for the ruling NDA coalition.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, in an interview to PTI, had said southern states will contribute in a big way to achieve the NDA target of more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections.

(With agency inputs)