Amit Shah’s upcoming July visit will cement AIADMK ties, rope in new members to NDA, insiders confident

CHENNAI: Union Home Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) master strategist Amit Shah is likely to visit Tamil Nadu in the first week of July as part of his ongoing mission to strengthen the party's organisational groundwork ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

According to senior leaders at the BJP's state headquarters, Kamalalayam, Shah's visit is expected to take place around July 8, subject to confirmation of his final schedule.

His trip is aimed at intensifying the party's pre-election activities, reviewing constituency-level progress, and fine-tuning the BJP's strategy to expand its political footprint in the Dravidian heartland.

"Union Home Minister Amit Shah is tentatively scheduled to visit Tamil Nadu on July 8 to review the party's poll preparedness and organisational activities. He is expected to hold in-depth discussions with state-level leaders and core committee members regarding the progress made in line with the roadmap laid out during his earlier visit," a senior BJP functionary told DT Next.

During his previous visit to Madurai on June 7 and 8, Shah chaired a closed-door session with the BJP's state core committee and later addressed the party cadre.

In that meeting, he had categorically announced that he would visit the State every month to personally oversee the BJP's preparations for the 2026 electoral battle and monitor the party's growth trajectory.

Party insiders indicate that apart from reviewing internal dynamics, Shah's July visit may assume greater political significance, as he is expected to initiate or revive talks with prospective alliance partners.

Notably, Shah is likely to meet AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, as well as Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S Ramadoss, during his upcoming visit.

"The Union minister may also hold discussions with other key leaders across the political spectrum. Requests for appointments have reportedly been received from expelled AIADMK leaders O Panneerselvam and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) general secretary TTV Dhinakaran. However, a final decision on Shah's full itinerary is still under deliberation," the party insider added.

The BJP's state leadership believes that Amit Shah's frequent visits not only energise the grassroots cadre but also demonstrate the party's renewed commitment to carving out a decisive role in the State's political landscape — traditionally dominated by the Dravidian majors.

Since 2019, the BJP has been seeking to position itself as a credible third alternative in Tamil Nadu, and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections — though not yielding any seats — saw a rise in its vote share in select constituencies.

Party insiders maintain that building on this momentum through sustained high-level engagement is key to its 2026 strategy.

In the run-up to Shah's visit, the BJP state unit is expected to submit constituency-wise status reports, updates on membership drives, booth-level mobilisation, and alliance prospects.

The state leadership has also been instructed to prepare comprehensive feedback on campaign messaging, voter perception, and the effectiveness of recent outreach programmes.