CHENNAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cancelled his proposed roadshow and campaign in Chennai’s Mylapore, with the BJP yet to finalise its candidates in Tamil Nadu, party sources said on Thursday. He is now expected to meet key state leaders on Saturday to review election preparedness.
The change in schedule follows growing unease within the party over seat-sharing and delays in candidate selection. Senior leaders said Union Minister Piyush Goyal and BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh have expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the process by the state unit led by president Nainar Nagenthran.
The BJP has secured 27 seats in the AIADMK-led alliance, following discussions between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami. However, internal dissent surfaced soon after the allocation, with multiple aspirants staking claim to key constituencies, including Coimbatore North.
“Goyal led the negotiations with the AIADMK through the state unit and secured the seat-sharing arrangement. But the post-allocation dissent and confusion over candidates have unsettled the central leadership,” a senior BJP leader said. “Attempts to swap certain constituencies to accommodate strong contenders did not materialise, as the state leadership cited the AIADMK’s firm position,” the leader told DT Next.
The delay has resulted in several constituencies witnessing more than five aspirants, complicating the selection process. The party’s Central Election Committee is expected to finalise candidates based on intelligence inputs, likely by Friday.
Another senior leader termed the situation a serious organisational lapse, adding that the high-command is closely monitoring developments. “The outcome of both candidate selection and the party’s electoral performance will determine the future of the state leadership,” the leader said.
Meanwhile, the state police are set to register an FIR against BJP state vice-president Karu Nagarajan following a sexual harassment complaint lodged by Mahila Morcha functionary Thanga Shobana, adding to the party’s challenges ahead of the elections.