Amit Shah blows hot on DMK govt, hotter on dissenters within

MADURAI: Even as he fired salvos at the ruling DMK while addressing the party functionaries from the stage in Madurai, Union Home Minister and the BJP’s master strategist Amit Shah on Sunday delivered a stern message to the State unit leaders to cease intra-party and intra-alliance squabbling and work in unison if they are to unseat the Dravidian rival in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Addressing a closed-door core committee meeting of the Tamil Nadu BJP in Madurai, Shah is learnt to have called for unwavering discipline within the party, warning factional leaders against fuelling infighting at a time when electoral focus is critical.

"Victory is possible only through collective effort. This is not the time for personal rivalries. Every leader and ‘karyakarta’ must rally behind Tamil Nadu unit president Nainar Nagenthran and work in harmony with alliance partners to defeat the DMK," he told party seniors and key functionaries.

According to senior party sources, Shah's direct intervention came following weeks of murmurs about internal divisions, particularly after the 2024 Lok Sabha results exposed fault lines within the State unit.

His plainspeak also reinforced that Nagenthran's leadership was the chosen channel through which the central strategy would flow. "I know there are differences among you. But no one must criticise our allies or other political outfits. Only the DMK and Congress are our political opponents. Trust the leadership. We are in talks with new parties and the NDA will expand further soon. Don't jeopardise existing ties. Forget personal egos. Follow instructions from Nagenthran, which are in line with the central strategy," Shah is believed to have told the gathering.

On seat-sharing and electoral management, Shah made it clear that such matters would be handled by the central leadership. "This is a national party. There is no space for individual ambitions. I have a detailed plan and I will directly oversee the alliance-building process," he reportedly assured the gathering.

Veteran BJP leader H Raja, who was present at the meeting, told this newspaper, "While I cannot divulge what was discussed, one thing is clear: he is determined to unseat the DMK in 2026."

BJP spokesperson ANS Prasad said Shah's visit has galvanised the cadre. "He gave a strong message. Those involved in the Tasmac and sand quarry scams will face action.”

The meeting was attended by senior leaders, including L Murugan, Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, Pon Radhakrishnan, Tamilisai Soundararajan, K Annamalai, Kesava Vinayagam, and VP Duraisamy.

Addressing the party cadre at a rally in Madurai’s Othakadai in the evening, Shah lambasted the DMK and Chief Minister MK Stalin over various issues, including the alleged scam in Tasmac, drug abuse, crimes against women and children, and rampant corruption.

The NDA and its key ally AIADMK would win the upcoming elections in Tamil Nadu and form a coalition government, he added.