Chennai: Prominent film personalities who had joined the BJP from popular musician Gangai Amaran, brother of music maestro Ilayaraja, who was appointed as BJP’s Patron of the Art Cell, to the latest veteran actor Vijayakumar would hit the campaign trail soon garnering votes for the saffron party.
These film stars are likely to make good the loss of campaigners the saffron party would otherwise have had if it succeeded in resurrecting the NDA.
The party is in the process of preparing the campaign schedule for actors. “The party is even prepared to field few of them as our candidates for the Assembly election if needed,” says BJP state general secretary S. Mohanrajulu when asked if the film personalities who had joined the party would be nominated to represent the party in the May 16Assembly poll. The focus, he says would be to enhance the winning prospects of the party at the hustings.
The party had high hopes when former DMK minister and actor D. Napolean joined the BJP in November 2015. He has been made vice-president of the state unit. It was widely speculated then that he would be fielded as party candidate for the 2016 Assembly election. But since he joined the saffron party, he is not seen at Kamalalayam.
Javadekar to work out election strategy
Union Minister of State for Environment and BJP’s Tamil Nadu election in-charge Prakash Javadekar who joined his cabinet colleagues in accusing the Tamil Nadu chief minister of being “inaccessible” will visit Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry to discuss poll strategy with the leaders.
Mr. Javadekar who will “review the political situation” post the DMDK joining the PWA, is likely to brief the leaders on fine-tuning their election strategy. “But for a couple of leaders including Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan, none in the party dare openly criticise the ruling AIADMK as they believe Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa enjoys good rapport with top BJP leaders,” a BJP senior said.
Claiming that the party was taking up the issue of “inaccessible leadership” in TN at “an appropriate time” BJP national general secretary P. Muralidhar Rao said Tamil Nadu has been facing problems because the CM was not accessible.
“I have never been soft on the AIADMK which miserably failed in managing the situation when Chennai was inundated in December 2015. I have also criticised the DMK on many issues,” Mr. Rao added.
After meeting the state leaders at Kamalalayam here, Mr. Javadekar would visit Puducherry later in the day. He is likely to visit Kanyakumari, the home constituency of Mr. Pon Radhakrishnan, and meet party workers, say sources.
