CHENNAI: The BJP will not contest more than 20 per cent of the seats in the forthcoming Assembly elections and will instead concentrate on strengthening cohesion within the AIADMK-led NDA, BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh told party workers on Monday.
Addressing a closed-door meeting of Assembly constituency in-charges at the party's State headquarters, Kamalalayam, Santhosh is learnt to have said that the BJP is likely to contest around 45–50 seats in the 234-member House. In the 2021 state assembly polls, BJP had contested in 20 seats in alliance with the AIADMK and won four seats.
He urged party workers to work in close coordination with NDA partners, particularly the AIADMK, to maximise the alliance's prospects. A senior BJP leader who attended the meeting said the emphasis was clearly on alliance discipline rather than seat maximisation.
Santhosh also set clear expectations for cadre mobilisation. Those allotted seats were asked to contribute at least 70 per cent of the campaign effort in their respective constituencies, while party workers not contesting were urged to put in a minimum of 30 per cent effort to ensure the success of NDA candidates. "Every worker has a defined role in the alliance's victory," he reportedly told the gathering.
On internal party matters, Santhosh is said to have refrained from commenting on former State president K Annamalai's public announcement stepping aside as Assembly election in-charge, and advised workers not to make any remarks on the issue.
He also hinted that the Assembly elections could be held in the first week of April, possibly in the first phase itself, sources said.
In a significant organisational development, the BJP leadership has asked Kesava Vinayagan to step down as Tamil Nadu general secretary (organisation) following strong opposition raised by State BJP president Nainar Nagenthran with the party high command. Sources said the decision was taken during a meeting involving senior BJP leaders and the RSS held at Chetpet.
"Kesava Vinayagan had questioned Nainar's alleged family politics within the party and raised issues relating to financial matters. He was also accused of not reporting lapses and organisational issues during K Annamalai's tenure to the high command," a source said. "In view of these concerns, the party asked him to step down, and he is expected to relinquish his organisational responsibilities shortly."
Sources added that the post of State general secretary (organisation) would remain vacant until the elections. "In several states, this key organisational post has been kept vacant. Tamil Nadu will also follow that pattern as the party and the RSS reassess the necessity of the position," the source said.
Kesava Vinayagan has been serving as the BJP's organisation general secretary in Tamil Nadu since 2015.