Chennai: With the last few days remaining for the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, the BJP parachuted its senior leaders from other states to campaign for its candidates to sustain the momentum generated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath landed in Coimbatore, a communally sensitive region, to campaign for the party’s All India Mahila Morcha president Vanathi Srinivasan before heading to southern Tamil Nadu. There was a brief tension in the western city as the BJP took out a motorcycle rally, flagged off by Adityanath, and hurled stones at shops that refused to down shutters during the event.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh campaigned in Krishnagiri, a region bordering Karnataka where national parties have some base.
On Thursday, Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. He will campaign for the party’s young and upcoming candidate Annamalai, a former Karnataka cadre IPS officer.
In Coimbatore, Adityanath stepped up the attack on the DMK-Congress accusing them of being anti-women. “The people must teach them a lesson for disrespecting women,” he said, alleging that the DMK, if returned to power, would disrespect women and make Tamil Nadu unsafe for them.
According to him, the Defence Corridor project in Coimbatore would benefit its people. He said unlike the Congress, the BJP at the Centre provided development without any discrimination to any State.
Rajnath Singh contended that only if “like-minded” parties ruled the Centre (BJP) and the State (AIADMK, an ally), it would lead to development. Tamil Nadu would then have the potential to become the most-development State in the country, he believed.
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