The late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa (L) and Prime Minister Modi (File).
Chennai:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday invoked the reminiscence of ex-Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to assault the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, accusing the ruling social gathering of disrespecting girls and maintaining the state “trapped in previous pondering…” Mr Modi – on his eighth go to to the state this yr – additionally hit out on the Congress-led INDIA bloc, of which the DMK is a member, as he referred to Jayalalithaa and thundered “we all know how they handled her… handed vulgar feedback about her”.
“Tamil Nadu respects girls… however INDI Alliance doesn’t, DMK doesn’t. Rahul Gandhi said he will ‘destroy Shakti’, whereas one other (referring to Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin) says he’ll eliminate Sanatana Dharma,” the Prime Minister stated.
“DMK needs to maintain Tamil Nadu trapped in previous pondering… previous politics. DMK has turn into the ‘firm’ of a household (a jibe on the Gandhi household),” he declared.
The jabs at Mr Gandhi and Udhayanidhi Stalin have been seen as routine assaults on opposition leaders, however (one other) point out of Jayalalithaa has raised eyebrows.
The (unstated) reference was to an incident within the Meeting in 1989, when the late ex-Chief Minister was heckled – an incident the BJP has typically raised because it appears to be like for help in a state that has historically rejected its model of politics.
Again in August Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman referred to the 1989 incident to counter DMK MP Kanimozhi’s assault on the centre over crimes in opposition to girls.
In February the PM lavished praise on Jayalalithaa, calling her a “true leader”.
He additionally praised All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam founder MG Ramachandran’s dedication to governance with out “dynasty politics” – a typical jibe on the Congress.
READ | PM’s Praise For AIADMK’s MGR, Jayalalithaa Months After Ally’s Exit
The significance of Tamil Nadu – and its 39 Lok Sabha seats – to the BJP on this election has been underlined by Mr Modi’s a number of visits to the state and South India general.
The BJP and the AIADMK allies until October final yr, once they broke up after sneering feedback by the BJP’s state unit boss, Okay Annamalai, focusing on iconic AIADMK leaders, together with one other ex-Chief Minister – CN Annadurai, who was MGR’s mentor.
For the BJP, dropping the AIADMK’s help means it should struggle solo in a state that has by no means actually taken to the saffron social gathering, which was routed within the 2019 election and gained only a single Lok Sabha seat 5 years earlier. Thumping defeats within the 2016 and 2021 Meeting polls emphasised the shortage of traction.
Conscious it wants native help to win votes within the state, the BJP tied up with smaller events, together with S Ramadoss’ Pattali Makkal Katchi, however saved the door open for a renewal of ties with the AIADMK.
READ | BJP Seals Deal With PMK For Lok Sabha Polls In Tamil Nadu
Final month Jayalalithaa and MGR even featured within the BJP’s marketing campaign posters.
The AIADMK, although, has cold-shouldered the calls. The social gathering known as the poster transfer “low cost politics”. We’re clear… no return to NDA. They’re spreading pretend information,” senior chief D Jayakumar stated.
That the BJP’s senior leaders, together with the Prime Minister, haven’t immediately attacked the AIADMK (to this point) is telling. The events might not be allies, however many see the BJP as making an attempt to remain impartial on the AIADMK and hope that some votes from the social gathering shift to its camp.
Presumably to that impact, the PM campaigned in western Tamil Nadu’s Salem, which is seen as an AIADMK stronghold and is social gathering boss Edappadi Okay Palaniswami’s house turf.
READ | PM Holds Massive Rally In AIADMK Stronghold In Tamil Nadu
Right here too, nonetheless, he focused solely the DMK and the Congress.
Tamil Nadu votes within the first part of the seven-phase Lok Sabha election.
The outcomes can be declared on June 4.
NDTV is now out there on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the newest updates from NDTV in your chat.