Putting speculation to rest, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam announced that the AIADMK-BJP alliance will fight the 2021 Assembly elections together, amid Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the state on Saturday, 21 November.
Shah’s visit, first amid the pandemic, comes just months before the Assembly elections in summer 2021.
“We will continue our alliance with BJP,” O Panneerselvam, Deputy CM of Tamil Nadu and AIADMK coordinator stated at the event.
The home minister virtually inaugurated the new water reservoir at Thervaikandigai that will cater to the needs of Chennai residents at an event organised for the foundation laying of several development projects.
Speaking at the event, Shah praised ‘good governance’ in the state.
“After Modi ji came into power, competitiveness among states has increased. I am happy that Tamil Nadu has secured first place among the states in good governance this year,” he said.
While AIADMK and BJP cadres gathered outside the airport to welcome him, #GoBackAmitShah was trending on Twitter ahead of the home minister’s arrival in the state.
The new reservoir built at an outlay of Rs 380 crore was inaugurated at an event at Kalaivanar Arangam in the city, with Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam.
Shah also laid the foundation stones of Phase II of Chennai Metro Rail with an outlay of Rs 61,843 crore; Rs 1,620 crore elevated expressway project in Coimbatore; expansion of Chennai Trade Centre (Rs 309 crore); Indian Oil Corporation's petroleum terminal at Vallur (Rs 900 crore); Rs 1,400 crore lube plant; Rs 900 crore terminal at Kamarajar Port; and Rs 406 crore check dam with sluice gates across the Cauvery river in Karur district.
He will later meet meet Tamil Nadu BJP office-bearers and cadres to galvanise them ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls, said the state unit of the party. Tamil Nadu BJP unit chief L Murugan had earlier claimed that Shah's visit will put “fear in the minds of opposition parties.”
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