Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Chennai late on Saturday and stayed overnight at Lok Bhavan, ahead of a mega rally scheduled in Madurai on Sunday and a visit to Puducherry.
He was received at the airport by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, senior leaders K P Munusamy and S P Velumani, state BJP president Nainar Nagendran, and senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan.
Alliance leaders indicated that seat-sharing discussions within the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will begin only after the Madurai rally. Senior BJP leader Piyush Goyal said the alliance’s electoral decisions would follow the momentum built through public mobilisation, adding that internal matters would be settled privately.
Goyal described the AIADMK-BJP partnership as a “family” and said an NDA government would focus on governance, development and respect for Tamil culture and language. He also criticised the ruling DMK, alleging that a lamp-lighting ceremony at the Lord Murugan temple in Thiruparankundram had earlier been obstructed.
Goyal also targeted former chief minister O Panneerselvam for aligning with the DMK, saying political choices have consequences. Meanwhile, a senior BJP functionary said the party is pressing for around 30 seats, while AIADMK leaders are said to be firm on contesting at least 170 seats, with indications that smaller partners may be encouraged to contest on the AIADMK’s ‘two leaves’ symbol.
