Chennai, June 7 (IANS) Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah is set to visit Madurai on Saturday, sparking renewed political interest in Tamil Nadu over the party’s southern strategy and the potential expansion of the NDA in the state.

According to party sources, HM Shah will arrive in Madurai late on Saturday and is scheduled to participate in the BJP’s Tamil Nadu core committee meeting the following day.

He will also address office-bearers from the state, district, and mandal levels in what is being viewed as a strategic push to strengthen the BJP’s base in the southern districts.

BJP national co-in-charge for Tamil Nadu, P. Sudhakar Reddy, said the visit would primarily focus on strengthening the party’s organisational structure and preparing for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

“He will speak on various matters, including the achievements of the Modi government over the past 11 years. Amit Shah will also outline a road map for the BJP’s strategy in the state,” Reddy said.

HM Shah’s visit comes at a time when discussions over the NDA’s expansion in Tamil Nadu are gaining traction.

His previous visit to the state on April 11 marked a significant political moment, as it was during that trip to Chennai that he formally announced the revival of the BJP-AIADMK alliance.

That announcement sent ripples across the state’s political landscape.

Commenting on the choice of Madurai as the venue, BJP state vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy dismissed any special political significance.

“The Union Home Minister has previously chaired meetings in Chennai and Coimbatore. This time it’s Madurai,” he said.

However, BJP insiders suggest that Madurai, often referred to as the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu, holds symbolic value. The city has long been a stronghold of spiritual and cultural traditions aligned with the Sangh Parivar, and the party is keen to consolidate its base in the southern belt.

In line with this, the BJP and its affiliate Hindu Munnani are organising a ‘Lord Muruga Devotees Conference’ in Madurai later this month.

Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson and senior leader ANS Prasad highlighted the impact of HM Shah’s earlier visit.

“His April 11 trip to Tamil Nadu changed the political narrative in the state. The announcement of the AIADMK-BJP alliance shook the DMK and its allies. Since then, leaders including Chief Minister M.K. Stalin have consistently addressed the implications of that alliance. Tamil Nadu politics can now be seen in two phases — before and after Amit Shah’s April visit.”

Prasad added that HM Shah’s upcoming speech in Madurai is expected to offer clear direction for the 2026 elections.

—IANS

aal/rad