The party is betting high on Kanyakumari district, which gave the party a MP in the 2014 LS poll besides several other key constituencies.
Chennai: Taking on the Dravidian majors on their own home turf is not an easy task for a national party like the BJP desperate to gain a foothold in the state. Unlike the previous elections, the saffron party is going beyond its traditional pockets to convince the electorate in Tamil Nadu on the folly of choosing between the AIADMK and the DMK.
The message from the BJP is clear — people ought to make a wise choice and ‘walk’ with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP if they want development. During this Assembly election the saffron party has a slight edge over the other parties in the state, as it could invoke Modi’s name whom the party claims to be an epitome of good governance and dispenser of corruption-free government.
Secondly, the development plank, which the BJP is banking on heavily, is far more credible compared to the ‘freebie’ culture introduced by the Dravidian majors, a senior BJP leader said.
“Distributing freebies is neither good governance nor a development initiative. Both the ruling AIADMK and the opposition DMK are known for corruption while the BJP has a clean record. So, this lends more credibility to our campaign,” he added.
The BJP has intensified its campaign in Tamil Nadu with the central ministers fanning out to nooks and corners of the state and sweating under the hot sun talking about the good work of Mr Modi and telling the people how they will gain if lotus blooms in Tamil Nadu.
Without mincing words, Union Communication and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, on a brief visit to the city on Saturday, made his party’s intention clear. Corruption and lack of development in Tamil Nadu, he said were major poll issues.
“We need to see development in a larger context…people need to walk with BJP and with Narendra Modi for the real turnaround of TN,” he appealed.
