Modi to visit Coimbatore on February 25, says T.N. BJP chief

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Coimbatore on February 25 and address a public meeting, said BJP State president L. Murugan on Monday.

Speaking to mediapersons here, he said the Prime Minister would attend a government event and then participate in the meeting organised by the State BJP.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh would arrive at Salem to address the BJP youth wing’s conference on February 21, he said, noting that more national leaders were planning to visit the State henceforth.

Mr. Murugan asserted that the BJP members would be “sitting in the Assembly in double digits” after the election. The seat-sharing talks with the AIADMK would commence in a few days, he said.

On the remarks made by AIADMK co-coordinator and Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami that alliance and ideology were two different things, the BJP president said that every party would have its own ideology. “When it comes to an alliance, there will be a common agenda,” he said. On Mr. Palaniswami not explicitly mentioning the AIADMK’s alliance with the BJP during his recent interactions with minority communities, Mr. Murugan replied that the BJP is “a party for all people”.

The “success” of the ‘Vetrivel Yatra’ recently carried out by the party had forced DMK president M.K. Stalin to pose with a ‘vel’ (holy spear associated with Lord Muruga), he claimed.

As he accused the DMK of being “in favour of corruption,” he evaded a question on the corruption charges against former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, saying that it would not be right to comment on a person who is no more.

The Central government was monitoring the hike in fuel prices and LPG cylinders he said, adding that the State BJP would take the concerns of the public forward regarding this issue.