PM Modi Cancels Chennai Roadshow Amid Tamil Nadu Candidate List Confusion
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dropped the plan to hold a roadshow at T Nagar in Chennai on Saturday, against the backdrop of ongoing confusion over finalising the Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate list for the upcoming Tamil Nadu election. According to party sources, a meeting with approximately 150 functionaries, including state-level office-bearers and district secretaries, scheduled during his visit has also been cancelled.
Revised Schedule and Puducherry Focus
Modi is scheduled to reach Chennai on Friday and will instead head to Puducherry for a roadshow there to support National Democratic Alliance candidates. As per the revised itinerary, the Prime Minister will arrive in Chennai by 3 pm, take a helicopter to Puducherry, and hold the roadshow around 4 pm. He will return to Chennai before 7 pm and stay overnight, with the closed-door meeting originally planned for the next morning now scrapped. BJP leaders have chosen not to offer any specific reason for this sudden change in the Chennai roadshow plan.
Candidate List Finalization in Limbo
Union Minister and Tamil Nadu poll in-charge Piyush Goyal, who will accompany Modi to Puducherry, is expected to return to Chennai later in the day and was anticipated to finalize the candidate list. The closed-door meeting was planned in Chennai with Modi, Goyal, and senior Tamil Nadu functionaries, but this has now been called off. Despite the apparent delays, State BJP president Nainar Nagenthran told reporters that there was neither confusion nor delay in finalising the candidate list. He stated, "There is no delay, and the list will be released after discussions with Piyush Goyal."
Shortlisted Candidates and High Command Decision
BJP leaders revealed that they have shortlisted three names for each of the six constituencies that remain undecided and have sent these recommendations to the party's parliamentary board. "Now the decision rests with the high command," said a BJP leader. Regarding the possibility of former state president K Annamalai contesting, it was emphasized that the parliamentary board will take the final call. During Goyal's earlier visit to Chennai this week, he had asked Annamalai to contest in one of the seats allotted to the BJP.
Annamalai's Candidacy and AIADMK Stance
Annamalai indicated willingness to contest from any of the six Assembly segments within the Coimbatore parliamentary constituency. His name was also discussed for Tirupur South and Modakurichi. However, the AIADMK has not agreed to the BJP's request to swap a few seats to accommodate Annamalai in one of the segments he had sought. "If he has to contest, it will have to be outside Coimbatore unless Vanathi Srinivasan gives up Coimbatore North, which is unlikely," another senior BJP leader said.
Local Engagement and Support Assurance
Meanwhile, Annamalai met AIADMK candidates in Coimbatore, including K R Jayaram (Singanallur) and P R G Arunkumar (Kavundampalayam), two constituencies from where he was under consideration, and assured them of his support. This move highlights the ongoing negotiations and strategic alignments within the alliance as the election approaches.
