Are Union Ministers working to Promote BJP in Tamil Nadu?

Chennai: The issue of union ministers inspecting Tamil Nadu has triggered a huge controversy. Many political parties have accused the Union ministers here with election work in the name of inspection. The BJP functionaries in Tamil Nadu replied to the accusation saying that it is a regular practice of inspecting.

A few days ago, BJP state president Annamalai had said that 76 ministers will be coming to Tamil Nadu in 30 days to review whether all the central government's welfare schemes are reaching the public in the right way. "Union ministers are coming to Tamil Nadu to see how well the Union government's plans are being carried out. This month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will send 76 union ministers to Tamil Nadu. 19 ministers have already visited and 57 more will visit in the next few days," Annamalai told reporters.

It is highly important to see the statement of K.P.Munisamy opposition party AIADMK MLA, he said, even a single union minister coming down to investigate the state welfare is itself suspicious and so 76 Union Ministers to visit Tamil Nadu looks very doubtful.

After Annamalai's statement the oppostition party AIADMK, which is in alliance with the BJP, lodged a strong condemnation. K P Munusamy, MLA and deputy general secretary of the opposition party AIADMK, said, "India's sovereignty can be protected only when the Centre and the state government works in harmony. Even when the Congress was in power, the government did not come down with such investigations. Even then, the central government's welfare schemes were available to every state," he said.
He also said, "For the last 50 years, the party ruling at the Centre has not been in power in Tamil Nadu. It is the Dravidian movements that are ruling. "We have brought central government schemes in Tamil Nadu. It is not a healthy practice to keep a tight follow-up on a state in the name of investigation.

During the previous opposition party AIADMK regime, when the former Governor Banwarilal Purohit inspected government departments, the opposition DMK staged protests, claiming that the governor was running a separate government. Now the situation has turned upside down. The opposition party AIADMK has registered its condemnation against union ministers conducting inspections.

"There is a huge anti BJP wave in Tamil Nadu and Narendra Modi wants to change the perspective by making Union Ministers visit several parts of the state, we want to send across the message that they indeed get benefitted from the Centre like other states.

"We have the target to prove that we are the ideological opposition of the ruling govt DMK. The chances are high for the growth of BJP in Tamil Nadu and the visits by Union Ministers will help to gain confidence of our party functionaries and cadres. Such initiatives are much needed before 2024 Lok Sabha polls," BJP leaders said
"The BJP wants to do politics in Tamil Nadu. They plan to contest at least six seats in Tamil Nadu in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. From now on, they have given the responsibility of 3 Union ministers per constituency and are carrying it out. The BJP functionaries should have been doing this but the Union Ministers itself have been appointed for this. Says K Balakrishnan, CPM state Secretary.

"BJP is working to develop their party in Tamil Nadu with their Union Ministers. These investigations are not for the welfare of the public but for the welfare of the BJP party; he said. A closer look at K Balakrishnan's comments will reveal why union ministers have been targeting Tamil Nadu in the last few months.

This has been seen as an important statement by many other political parties.
Speaking on the issue, VCK leader and MP Thol.Thirumavalavan said, "The BJP is targeting Tamil Nadu. The BJP is moving political pieces from various angles for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. No matter how many Union ministers come, the BJP will not be able to get a foothold in Tamil Nadu. Their dream will not come true."

Apart from the known ministers at the Centre, some other ministers have also come to Tamil Nadu in the name of inspection. Bharati Pawar, Pratima Bhowmik, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has arrived.

However, at the place where Gajendra Singh Shekhawat went for inspection, he alleged that the Tamil Nadu government was not implementing the Jal Shakti scheme properly. "But the truth is just the opposite," says Saravanan, a lawyer from the opposition party DMK.

"Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has said that the Jal Jeevan project is not happening properly in Tamil Nadu. But do you know what authentic information that appeared in the press recently? "From 2020 to 2022, Tamil Nadu is the best state in India to have implemented the Jal Jeevan Mission, That's what the statistics say. Is the Union Minister blatantly lying?" he asked.

After the demise of former CM J.Jayalalitha, BJP has been trying different ways to step in Tamil Nadu. However, Tamil Nadu has always rejected the BJP. Now they have a space in Tamil Nadu as the real opposition party is busy with their internal fights. Union Ministers flooding Tamil Nadu could also be one such move to get a grip into Tamil Nadu. In that case will BJP win the targeted seats in the upcoming Loksabha election which is to be held 2024? Or as always will people of Tamil Nadu once again reject BJP with no seats? As per the statements of other parties about the misusing powers of Union Ministers the Union Government should be more careful while moving their coins in Tamil Nadu.

Oneliners:

• Is BJP trying to use Union Ministers as a trump card to capture Tamil Nadu? Union Ministers an agent of BJP?
• Central government misuses the power of Union Ministers for the BJP party's development
• Union Ministers flooding into Tamil Nadu to investigate the schemes of the central Government are reaching the people.
• 76 Ministers in 30 days to investigate Tamil Nadu is like threatening the state Government.