TIRUCHY: Not only the state parties but also the national parties preferred Tiruchy for their public gathering for years, with leaders from Congress, BJP, and Left parties opting to address in the public meetings here several times.
According to senior political observers, in the 2006 election, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in support of DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA), addressed in Tiruchy and also in the adjacent districts in favour of the alliance candidates. The then Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, who addressed several meetings organised by the DMK here, also took part in the 125th anniversary celebrations of the
Congress party held in Tiruchy in 2012. Similarly, Rahul Gandhi visited the city on several occasions. In 2014, the senior CPM leader and the then Tripura CM Manik Sarkar visited Tiruchy to campaign for the party candidates.
Meanwhile, in 2014, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) commenced its Tamil Nadu rally in Tiruchy that showcased the Modi wave, testing his appeal in the southern state. The party even launched the ‘Ilam Thamarai Maanadu’, a youth wing convention, in Tiruchy, targeting the youth of the State. The Modi wave attracted lakhs of BJP workers, and since then, the growth of the BJP has been visible in Tamil Nadu. After becoming the Prime Minister, Modi has visited Tiruchy several times.