Tamil Nadu: PM to address BJP rally on Feb 25 as Annamalai concludes yatra

Chennai, Feb 5 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a massive rally on February 25 in Tamil Nadu's Palladam in Tiruppur district, where state BJP chief K Annamalai's 'En Mann En Makkal' (My Land, My People) yatra will conclude.

Annamalai on Monday said that ahead of the PM's visit, BJP's national president J P Nadda would also address a rally in Chennai on February 11.

The BJP state chief is set to conclude his tour of all 234 assembly constituencies in the state at Palladam Assembly constituency.

"Modiji will address the meeting in which about 10 lakh cadres and members of the public are expected to participate," Annamalai told reporters here.

Expecting a massive gathering, seats would be arranged for five lakh persons, Annamalai, who has been leading the yatra since it was flagged off by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in July 2023, said.

The aim of the yatra was to cover all 234 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are announced.

Asked if he would contest the Parliamentary elections, Annamalai replied, "I will contest if the party's parliamentary board says so. My present task is to tour the state and strengthen the party." Inaugurating the BJP's election office in Aminjikarai here in the presence of the in-charges of the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu, Aravind Menon and P Sudhakar Reddy, and other senior leaders, he said the party machinery has already been activated and that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections would be "historic".

"Tamil Nadu will contribute in a big way to ensure that Modiji returns as Prime Minister for the third straight time," he told reporters.

Speaking of what he learned from the yatra, he said he believed that people in Tamil Nadu, irrespective of their party allegiance, had realised that the upcoming elections would be about making a choice for India's growth, and that this would translate to votes for the BJP. "So, you will see a lot of voting in favour of Modiji from TN, as well," Annamalai said.

On the prospects of reviving the NDA in Tamil Nadu, he said talks were on with G K Vasan-led Tamil Maanila Congress and that a clear picture on the parties keen on forging ties with the BJP would emerge before the end of this month. PTI