Chennai, Jan 18 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kickstart the NDA campaign for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections from Maduranthakam near here on January 23, BJP legislative party leader Nainar Nagenthran announced on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters here, Nagenthran said the prime minister would address a massive public gathering in the afternoon to signal the start of the NDA’s electoral battle against the incumbent DMK government.
“On January 23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the NDA campaign in Maduranthakam. He will participate in the meeting to send home the anti-people DMK government currently ruling Tamil Nadu,” Nagendran said.
Responding to persistent queries regarding the final list of alliance partners —specifically the inclusion of T T V Dhinakaran’s AMMK, O Panneerselvam (OPS), and the DMDK — Nagenthran maintained a silence on names but promised a show of strength.
“You can see that on the stage on January 23,” he said when asked if Dhinakaran would join.
He further confirmed that “all leaders will find a place on the stage” during the PM’s visit.
Addressing the war of words between the DMK and AIADMK regarding “copied” election promises, Nagenthran defended the autonomy of the manifestos.
The DMK has recently alleged that the AIADMK’s promise of increased monthly financial aid for women was a ‘photocopy’ of their own scheme.
“That cannot be said (as a copy). EPS had already promised Rs 1,500 in the last election. Now they have increased it by Rs 500 and announced Rs 2,000. We cannot call it a copy just because they mentioned it in their manifesto,” Nagenthran said, adding that “a massive change is going to happen in the minds of the people.” Nagenthran also moved to dispel reports that the Union Ministry of Defence had rejected the proposed Hosur International Airport project.
“Permission has not been denied anywhere. They have only asked for certain clarifications. It would not be right to immediately label it a rejection,” he clarified.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan said the PM’s visit will be the start of the BJP’s victory in 2026.
Addressing reporters here, the former Telangana Governor said: “People have great expectations from the NDA.” Responding to the DMK’s “copycat” allegations against the ADMK’s election promises, the BJP leader said the DMK was the “biggest copycat” in the country.
She defended the expansion of welfare schemes, stating, “When a new government takes over, it is only fair to expand existing schemes for the people’s benefit, rather than abruptly stopping them as the DMK did with the ‘Gold for Thali’ scheme.” Soundararajan also predicted a fallout between the DMK and Congress.
“In 1967, it was the DMK that finished the Congress in Tamil Nadu. Today, they have joined hands only to finish each other off. Their alliance partners, including the VCK and Communists, are suffocating,” she claimed.
Soundararajan further stated that she would be travelling to Delhi to join the BJP state delegates for a national meeting. PTI JR ADB
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