Chennai, Jan 4 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah has arrived in Tiruchirappalli as part of his two-day visit to Tamil Nadu, aimed at strengthening the Bharatiya Janata Party’s organisational machinery ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
HM Shah was received at the Tiruchirappalli airport by Union Minister and BJP’s Tamil Nadu election in-charge Piyush Goyal, Union Minister and Tamil Nadu co-in-charge Arjun Ram Meghwal, BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran, Union Minister L. Murugan, and other senior party leaders.
Following his arrival, HM Shah proceeded to a private hotel, where he was briefed by the state leadership on the party’s preparedness, booth-level expansion plans, and outreach initiatives.
Sources said the Union Home Minister reviewed organisational restructuring, membership drives, and coordination mechanisms being put in place across districts as the BJP seeks to expand its footprint in Tamil Nadu.
Later, HM Shah will proceed to Pudukkottai to attend a major public meeting marking the conclusion of the statewide campaign tour led by Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagenthran.
The event is expected to draw senior party leaders and party cadres from across the State. However, the programme has attracted political attention following reports that AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami and leaders of allied parties will not participate in the BJP’s public meeting in Pudukkottai.
The reported absence is being viewed as politically significant, particularly amid continuing speculation over opposition alliances and seat-sharing arrangements in Tamil Nadu.
On the second day of his visit, HM Amit Shah is scheduled to return to Tiruchi, where he will offer prayers at the historic Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam.
Following the temple visit, the Union Home Minister will hold a series of meetings with the Tamil Nadu BJP’s senior leadership, members of the State core committee, and representatives of the party’s central leadership.
During these high-level deliberations, HM Shah is expected to assess the prevailing political situation in the State and provide strategic guidance on organisational strengthening, grassroots mobilisation, and electoral preparedness.
A key highlight of the Tiruchi leg of the visit will be HM Amit Shah’s participation in the “Modi Pongal” celebrations at the Mannarpuram military camp.
Around 2, 000 women are expected to take part in the event, reflecting the BJP’s focus on community outreach and women-centric programmes during the festive season.
Political observers are closely watching the visit, as it is expected to offer clearer signals on the BJP’s roadmap in Tamil Nadu, including its approach to alliances, leadership consolidation, and campaign strategy in the months ahead.