Campaign for the May 16 Assembly election has entered a phase of feverish pitch as all major players in the race for Fort saint George (Tamil Nadu’s seat of power, the Secretariat) in Chennai fielding a galaxy of political stars and employing multi-pronged strategies to regain or retain power in the State. Sunday turned out to be a power packed day as Tamil Nadu saw the Prime Minister of the country and a number of his colleagues in the Union council of Ministers launching synchronised campaign from different regions of the State seeking votes for the BJP candidates.
While Prime Minister flew down to Kanyakumari at the southern tip of the State to address a well attended rally, his colleagues Suresh Prabhu and Piyush Goyal landed in Chennai and addressed a series of election meetings. The theme of their speeches were same. “Elect a BJP Government for a bright future of Tamil Nadu and the State’s youth. We have proved to the world that it is possible to govern the country without corruption and favouritism. The last two years saw no charges of corruption being levelled against the Government at the Centre. Give BJP a chance to serve you and also to help the people to get a refreshing change from the two parties which alternate the governance between themselves,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the thousands who gathered at Kanyakumari.
Modi said he was so moved by the size of the crowd which has come to listen to him. “I am sure the BJP is going to put up an impressive show in Tamil Nadu,” said the Prime Minister. Elsewhere in the State, his colleagues Prabhu and Goyal offered a series of steps to help Tamil Nadu to emerge as a number one State. Suresh Prabhu, Union Railway Minister said irrespective of who the winner is, the Centre would continue to serve the people of Tamil Nadu. While speaking to reporters at Chennai on Sunday, Prabhu said there was an urge among the people of the State for a change. “A change is imminent in Tamil Nadu. People are ready for it,” he said.
J Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister who is also the General Secretary of the AIADMK travelled to Thanjavur, the centre of Cauvery Delta, described as the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu and blasted the DMK and the Congress for cheating the people of the State with regard to the sharing of Cauvery water with Karnataka. “Both the Congress and the BJP disappointed and let down the people of Tamil Nadu in the issue of Cauvery. Though the Cauvery River Water Disputes Tribunal had awarded Tamil Nadu the required quantity of water for its agricultural operations, the then DMK Government did not do anything to get the order gazetted.It was me who got the CRWDT award gazetted,” said Jayalalithaa.
What was an interesting coincidence in the action packed day was the timing of the speeches delivered by Modi and Jyalalithaa. While Prime Minister Modi wind up his Kanyakumari speech by 5.45 pm, Jayalalithaa began her Thanjavur speech by 6 pm so that people across the State could see both the leaders.