What Is At Stake For BJP In Tamil Nadu Where It Has No Single MP (Photo on X Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy (Modi Ka Parivar) @ReddySudhakar21)

Reflecting the Southern states – except Karnataka – distance with the Bhartiya Janata Party, Tamil Nadu too did not fall for the saffron wave that swept the country for the past two Lok Sabha elections. As the BJP has no single seat in Lok Sabha from the Dravidian state, the party has put much effort, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, making a series of rallies to influence the voters.

The Prime Minister has also predicted a stunning performance by the saffron party across south India. He has made around ten visits in the run-up to the election alone to the state, praising the Tamilian history and legacies. Many believe the Prime Minister”s newfound love for the Tamilians is a political gimmick.

With 39 seats, Tamil Nadu is one of the defining states, and in 2019, the saffron party got no seat, while its then ally, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), won a lone seat. This time, without any major ally, the BJP has asserted over four seats from the DMK and Congress-dominated state. The DMK-Congress alliance had swept 38 out of the 39 constituencies in the previous general elections.

However, with the saffron party”s relatively improved performance in the last assembly elections, securing five seats out of the  234 total constituencies, political analysts foresee the BJP”s possibility in several constituencies in the state. The party is contesting 23 seats in an alliance with nine smaller parties such as Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam. As the BJP parted ways with AIADMK, which was in the NDA camp in 2019, it is going solo this time, with no major ally.

With its relatively improved performance in the previous assembly elections, the party anticipates a huge votes share for the saffron camp in the Lok Sabha elections, noting the frequent appeal of Prime Minister Modi. Party”s state President K Annamalai”s six-month-long En Mann En Makkal (My Land, My People) foot march is also learned to have analysed to have created a favourable public opinion towards the saffron party. However, the ruling DMK leaders have, however, reiterated that the BJP would not get a single seat from the state.

The saffron party”s state president is contesting from Coimbatore, a seat the BJP is pinning its hope on the most in the 2024 general elections. During the past two Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has given tough competition to the Dravidian majors, coming in the second position. With the extra efforts and popularity of Annamalai, the party hoped it would capture the constituency this time.

In Tirunelveli, the party has fielded its sitting MLA from Tirunelveli Assembly seat, Nainar Nagendran, a member from the Tevar community who accounts for 2.15 lakh votes. He is believed to be one of the strongest candidates and is said to have robust support in several parts of the constituency. Along with all this, the party is banking on the Prime Minister”s promises. Notably, the Prime Minister has campaigned for the Tirunelveli candidate.

The other constituencies that the saffron party places hope in are Vellore, and Dharmapuri. South Chennai, Nilgiris etc.