Nainar Nagenthran reminds T.N. Minister about the plight of Arvind Kejriwal

Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagenthran on Sunday warned that what happened to former Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal [who was jailed earlier] would happen to the Minister in-charge of Excise (TASMAC) in Tamil Nadu. He added that Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s “political and administrative capabilities” were being underestimated.

Addressing a public meeting in Tiruchi as part of his State-wide yatra, “Tamizhagam Thalai Nimira Tamizhanin Payanam,” Mr. Nagenthran said the former Excise Minister (Senthilbalaji) was no longer in office and similar action would be seen against the current “TASMAC Minister”.

PM’s visit

He announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would deliver a special address in Pudukkottai on January 9, marking the conclusion of his (Mr. Nagenthran’s) yatra. The event, he said, would be attended by leaders of NDA’s constituents, including AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, IJK founder T.R. Paarivendhar, and Puthiya Neethi Katchi leader A.C. Shanmugam.

Referring to the notice given by the INDIA bloc MPs for impeaching Justice G.R. Swaminathan of the Madras High Court, he said nearly half the signatures in it were fake. He accused the ruling DMK leadership of selective secularism, citing the Chief Minister’s participation in a Christmas celebration in Tirunelveli on Saturday.

According to him, the NDA in Tamil Nadu was formed with the objective of making Mr. Palaniswami the Chief Minister. He accused the DMK government of announcing welfare measures with an eye on the elections. ”Last year, nothing was given to people during Pongal but due to election this time, the DMK is planning to give ₹10,000 and work is going on for it,” he said.

During the meeting, a video was played that alleged past tensions involving Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru and DMK MP Tiruchi N. Siva. It alleged corruption in the Municipal Administration department. The presentation, styled as a series of memes using popular cinema references, drew reactions from party cadres.

Targeting Tiruchi-based Ministers Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and Mr. Nehru, the BJP leader alleged that infrastructure in Tiruchi remained poor despite Central assistance under Smart Cities and Jal Jeevan Mission schemes.

As requested by Mr. Nagenthran, BJP cadres switched on mobile phone flashlights to pay tribute to a person who allegedly died following an incident related to a court-ordered ritual at Thirupparankundram.

Later, when a journalist asked him about TVK founder Vijay, he said: “He [Vijay] says DMK is an evil force but did not know whom to join hands with.”