Published 11:14 IST, February 28th 2021
Big Day in Tamil Nadu election campaigns: Amit Shah in Chennai for BJP-AIADMK seat-sharing
Amit Shah arrived in Chennai on Sunday ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly Polls, after his arrival on Saturday night was delayed. PM visited Tamil Nadu on February 25
Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Chennai on Sunday ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly Polls, after his arrival on Saturday night was delayed. TN CM Edappadi Palaniswami and Dy CM O Panneerselvam are expected to meet the Home Minister in the morning to have a discussion on seat sharing. On February 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also visited the poll-bound state.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders, including MoS G Kishan Reddy and state president L Murugan, met TN CM Edappadi Palaniswami and Dy CM O Panneerselvam at their respective residences on Saturday to discuss the seat-sharing for the first phase of the Assembly polls.
The NDA allies' meeting over seat-sharing comes after the Election Commission revealed the dates of Assembly elections scheduled to be held in April and May in five states - Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Puducherry, and Assam, for which counting of votes will be held on May 2.
Tamil Nadu Assembly elections
The two big Dravidian political parties have started their campaigns. While DMK's MK Stalin is eyeing becoming Chief Minister for the first time, CM E Palaniswami (EPS) is fighting for his re-election. The BJP is allied with the AIADMK and is said to be in talks with Stalin's estranged brother MK Alagiri, though nothing new has emerged on this front for several weeks. On the other side, AIADMK has said that they are the big-brother within the NDA alliance though the party faces its own split on account of the release of Sasikala from jail. Meanwhile, Kamal Hassan is also on the fray with his MNM. Superstar Rajinikanth who was about to launch his party this year has backed out due to health reasons, with the BJP purportedly the most deflated from this u-turn.
Updated 11:14 IST, February 28th 2021