Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha Predictions: Is BJP Gaining 25 Per Cent Vote Share? Here's What Annamalai Says

As the countdown for the conclusion of the last phase of Lok Sabha elections begins, paving the way for exit polls, Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai has expressed confidence in his party's performance in the key South Indian state.

The BJP has heavily focused on Tamil Nadu, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the state eight times in two months during the campaign. After drawing a blank in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the party is hoping to win a few seats this time with a solid vote share.

Pre-election surveys indicated that the BJP would perform well in Tamil Nadu in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Annamalai has claimed his party would secure more than 25 per cent of the vote share. The saffron party had bagged a little over 25 per cent vote share in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to Times Now, he reiterated this confidence, saying, "As I said a long time ago before the on set of elections, we have read the ground well and done our work. We put in a lot of hard work in the first phase. We are highly confident and will stick to the numbers we have spoken about - 25 per cent. This time, the BJP and NDA will send members of Parliament from Tamil Nadu. It will be seen on June 4."

When asked about his expectations for victory in the Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency, he said, "We have done our best, and ultimately, it is God's decision. I truly believe that the people of Coimbatore will bless us and Narendra Modiji."

Tamil Nadu voted in a single phase on April 19.

Significance Of PM's Meditation In Kanyakumari

When asked about the significance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day meditation in Kanyakumari, Annamalai highlighted the historical and spiritual context. He said, "The larger message today is that Narendra Modiji is visiting a place where Narendra Dutta came as a young man on December 24, 1882. This young man wanted to reach the rock but, as no one was willing to give him a boat, he jumped into the rough seas, swam approximately 600 meters, and meditated there for three nights (December 24, 25, and 26). Narendra Dutta later became Swami Vivekananda."

Annamalai emphasized that the rock is not ordinary, as Goddess Parvati sat there in penance meditating on Lord Shiva. He explained, "The rock has a long history. Eknath Ranadeji had to fight hard and move mountains to build the Swami Vivekananda memorial, which we now know as Dhyan Mantap. The memorial has a rich history. The Congress party does not want the PM to visit and has approached the Election Commission, similar to how the then Congress CM Bhaktavatsalam opposed the construction in the 1960s. Eknathji had to go to Delhi, secure the signatures of 322 MPs, and force the Prime Minister to give permission for construction."

Annamalai also noted Swami Vivekananda's writings, where he mentioned his vision for India during his intense meditation on the rock. "In his writings, Swami Vivekananda spoke about his vision for Bharat during those three days of meditation. He realized that as long as people are hungry, they will not care much about religion. This was an epiphany for him. When the PM talks about 'Viksit Bharat,' he is laying a strong foundation. The PM's three days of penance in Kanyakumari, reportedly with no solid food, are seen as a unification of the country. After June, the north-south divide that people talk about will no longer be relevant."