BJP show of strength: Modi to address rally in Tirupur

Even as speculations are rife over the alliance between AIADMK and BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Centre-ruling party’s electoral mascot, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is landing in Tamil Nadu for yet another time, at Tirupur in western Tamil Nadu where he is attending a public meeting on Sunday.

This is his second visit in a fortnight – which comes close on the heels of his trip to Madurai on January 27 – that would be followed by party president Amit Shah’s visit in the coming week.

Though Modi will inaugurate the final leg of the Chennai Metro Rail Phase-1, launch projects including Rameswaram – Dhanushkodi railway line and Paramakudi- Dhanushkodi road widening during the function at Tirupur, which would be attended by both Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, the political significance of the visit is not lost on anyone.

“The public meeting addressed by PM Modi in Madurai created a resurgence for the party; this meeting at Tirupur will be another gala event that would bring the public closer to the BJP, which is fighting corruption,” its State president Tamilisai Soundararajan said on Saturday.

The party is taking all efforts to make the public meeting a show of strength. According to State general secretary Vanathi Srinivasan, more than two lakh cadre from eight Lok Sabha constituencies – Coimbatore, Tirupur, The Nilgiris, Pollachi, Erode, Salem, Namakkal and Karur – are expected to participate. 

Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who has been entrusted the charge of Tamil Nadu, would also attend, BJP sources said, adding that the party has been coordinating with the AIADMK government on security arrangements and logistical support.

Modi is expected to return to the State once again, this time to inaugurate schemes in Kanniyakumari district by the end of this month, sources added, while national president Amit Shah is expected to visit Erode on February 14.  

The close attention that the BJP is giving TN comes at a time when there are strong indications that it is on the verge of clinching a coalition deal with the AIADMK, despite reservations from a few Dravidian party leaders and cadres.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the DMS – Washermanpet stretch, last leg of the 45km first phase of the Metro Rail, via video conferencing from Tirupur on Sunday evening. 

With this, the seven-year wait of Chennaiites to have a circular Metro Rail network connecting both Anna Salai and EVR Periyar Salai to the city airport will become a reality.

With the opening of the 10km stretch from DMS to Washermanpet, the entire first phase of Chennai metro rail (CMRL) constructed at a cost of Rs 14,600 crore would be fully operational. The stretch comprising seven stations, Washermanpet, Mannadi, Madras High Court, Chennai Central, Government Estate, LIC, Thousand Lights would be fully underground.

CMRL would also fulfil the long pending request of commuters to slash prices by marginally reducing the tariff from Sunday. The maximum fare on the entire phase would only be Rs 60, against the earlier Rs 70.

Started in 2011, phase I was opened in gradual stages with the latest being the Nehru Park – Central and Little Mount -DMS opening in May 2018. The stretch from Koyambedu to Alandur was the first to be opened in June 2015, followed by Little Mount – Chennai Airport in September 2016.