PM Modi plans Pongal outreach visit to Tamil Nadu
Senior BJP leaders said the visit is being planned around Pongal, marking the first time the Prime Minister is expected to join farmers in the State for the harvest festival.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi planning to visit Tamil Nadu in January 2026.
CHENNAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to celebrate the Pongal festival with farmers in Tamil Nadu during a proposed visit from January 13 to 15, sources said, in a move seen as politically and culturally significant ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
Senior BJP leaders said the visit is being planned around Pongal, marking the first time the Prime Minister is expected to join farmers in the State for the harvest festival. The tentative itinerary includes the closing ceremony of Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 at Rameswaram and the culmination of Thamizhagam Thalai Nimira Thamizhanin Payanam, an outreach initiative led by BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran, to be held in Pudukkottai.
“With Assembly elections approaching, the Prime Minister’s Pongal celebrations with farmers will send a strong political and cultural message,” a senior BJP leader said. The visit aims to deepen the party’s engagement with rural Tamil Nadu, highlighting its focus on farmers while signalling an emphasis on Tamil cultural identity, as the BJP seeks to expand its footprint in the State.
NDA alliance talks gain momentum in Tamil Nadu
The Prime Minister’s proposed visit is also expected to coincide with key developments on the alliance front. Sources said the National Democratic Alliance in Tamil Nadu is likely to take concrete shape before Pongal, with several regional parties expected to join the coalition. During his stay, Modi is likely to hold meetings with NDA leaders to finalise electoral strategy and coordination.
The BJP is currently in talks with multiple parties, including the PMK, DMDK, AMMK and expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam. Party insiders said efforts are underway to conclude alliance negotiations ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit.
Sources also claimed that VK Sasikala, a close aide of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, is in discussions with the NDA. An insider said she is expected to work for the alliance’s success, though she remains barred from contesting elections.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran left for New Delhi to meet the party high command and attend the release of a commemorative postal stamp honouring King Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II