Lok Sabha Election 2024: When in Tamil Nadu why PM Modi sings paeans on MGR and Jayalalithaa?

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With the elections round the corner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi heaped praises on AIADMK stalwarts MG Ramachandran (MGR) and J Jayalalithaa while visiting Tamil Nadu recently.

Hailing their commitment to governance devoid of dynastic politics, PM Modi attacked the Opposition alliance while addressing a rally in Tamil Nadu's Tirupur district. “Those who sit in air-conditioned rooms in Delhi and want to divide the country, should come here, and see that Tamil Nadu will decide India's future. Those who make political equations, should note that Tamil Nadu will be at the forefront of deciding India’s future,” he said.

Why PM Modi invoked AIADMK stalwarts?

PM Modi’s speech came in the backdrop of the BJP crossing swords with the AIADMK over attempts to poach leaders from each other. Ever since the AIADMK walked out of the NDA last September, the BJP has got only Tamil Maanila Congress on its side so far. In a bid to woo the former ally, the PM said the politics of the DMK was “an insult” to the legacy of MGR.

"MGR gave quality education and healthcare in Tamil Nadu which is why his popularity was unmatched among the poor. The way the current DMK government works is an insult to MGR and Jayalalithaa," he said.

PM Modi accused the Congress and the DMK of inefficiency and corruption. He contrasted initiatives during their regimes with developmental efforts undertaken by the BJP-led Centre. He also accused the INDIA bloc of aiming to loot states like Tamil Nadu.

Modi said he shares an emotional connection with the state and recalled the installation of Sengol as a move to respect Tamil Nadu’s grand heritage in Parliament.

The visit to Tamil Nadu ahead of the polls is seen as an attempt of the BJP to widen its footprint in the region from being a marginal force in Tamil Nadu. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had failed to secure even a single seat when it fought in an alliance with the AIADMK.

Cracks surfaced in the alliance over BJP leader Annamalai's comment on Jayalalithaa’s “conviction” for corruption. PM Modi in his speech referred to the AIADMK icon as Amma and said that she was the only leader after MGR to have dedicated her life to people’s cause. The remark comes as a salve to heal the wounds inflicted by the differences.

By invoking the legacy of MGR and Jayalalithaa, the PM appeared to be reaching out to their vast and loyal base ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.