BJP will form strong alliance in TN for Lok Sabha polls: Amit Shah

Shah said his party will forge a "strong alliance" to face the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu.

This alliance, which could be forged in a "short span," will contest from all 39 Lok Sabha seats, he said, addressing handloom and powerloom associations in Erode.

"I want to assure the people of Tamil Nadu that the BJP is going to contest the elections in a strong alliance with an ally," he said in his brief remarks on a poll-pact.

Taking potshots at the proposed DMK-Congress alliance, he said it was not being forged for the benefit of Tamil Nadu but only to indulge in "scam and corruption."

"It is an alliance of scam and corruption. They can indulge in scam and corruption only," he said.

Shah said he foresaw two groupings to fight the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

"There are two groupings---in one, under (Congress chief) Rahul Gandhi and other leaders, a gathbandhan (alliance) is trying to take shape where there is no leader.

The other under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was the NDA which is a strong alliance ready to lead the nation, (after polls)," the BJP chief said.

Taking a swipe at DMK president M K Stalin, Shah said the former sometimes accepts Gandhi as leader and sometimes not when there is some opposition to it.

"I don't know what his priorities are," Shah quipped.

He was apparently referring to Stalin's proposal to project Gandhi as Opposition's Prime Ministerial candidate not evoking any reaction from SP leader Akhilesh Yadav and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Incidentally, Stalin had also attended the TMC supremo's mega rally in January against the BJP in Kolkata.

Apparently pointing out at the proposed opposition alliance, Shah said it had "no leader, no principle or philosophy" and that it was "an alliance for power."

On the other hand, the NDA wants to take the country forward, ensure its security and move ahead with the concept of 'sabka saath sabka vikas,' he said, alluding to Modi's oft-repeated reference to inclusive growth.

Taking on Stalin over his repeated criticism of the Centre and what the BJP-led NDA had done for Tamil Nadu, Shah said though he did not find it fit to respond to the DMK leader, he was however obliged to the people of the state to give an account of the Centre's allocations to the state.

"When the UPA (was in power), in which DMK was a key partner, where the 2G scam happened, that government allotted only Rs 94,000 crore during the 13th Finance Commission to Tamil Nadu," Shah said.

Underlining the NDA government's commitment to the southern state, the BJP chief said the incumbent government has increased that allocation by about five times at Rs 5.42 lakh crore.

"I had come across Stalin asking what Modi has done for Tamil Nadu. I want to ask him, what did you (DMK) do for the state during the UPA period," Shah said.

The BJP chief detailed the various sops offered by the Centre to Tamil Nadu, including special package to the textile industry.

He also referred to the crores of rupees given by way of grants, increased EPF contribution for textile and handloom workers and weavers and a rebate scheme for textile exporters, among others, to the state.

The BJP government during its tenure has allocated Rs 1,230 crore for textile development which is 12 per cent of the total amount granted in the budget for the sector, he said.

"We have given our account to people. I want to ask Stalin-- why did you do an injustice to the people of Tamil Nadu by allocating only Rs 94,000 crore. The DMK and Congress have to answer," he said.

While the state had returned just one NDA MP in the 2014 polls, it should help the BJP-led coalition form the government again, Shah said indicating the desire to have more MPs from the combine this time.

"The Modi government believes in sabka sath vikas. We are keen about Tamil Nadu's growth and its progress. It should help NDA form government for the next five years and it will strive to restore the state's lost glory," Shah said.

Later, addressing the party's Booth Committee members, the BJP president asked them to be vigilant during the poll and appealed to the workers to strive for the party's victory.

The Central government has implemented a number of welfare and concessional schemes for the benefit of the people living below the poverty line.

The middle class and salaried people would benefit from the recent union budgetary announcements, he said.

"We are showing real patriotism by granting huge money for the defence sector. The Prime Minister is keen in providing a corrupt-free Government," he said.

The Defence Corridor in Tamil Nadu, in particular, would benefit from the increased budgetary allocations, he added.

All walks of life will benefit if the BJP is re-elected, he added.