BJP wants pre-poll pact in TN by October

Shah is likely to attend a memorial meeting for Karunanidhi in Chennai on Thursday. “There is no reason for us to reject the DMK’S invite,” a BJP leader said.

Shah’s possibility of attending the event is seen in the light of the BJP’S plans to forge the alliance.

P Muralidhar Rao, BJP’S general secretary in-charge of Tamil Nadu, had held a 20-minute meeting with Alagiri ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Chennai to pay tributes to Karunanidhi on August 8. It was seen BJP’S attempt to reach out to Stalin’s estranged brother.

Alagiri subsequently wrote to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s foster daughter after his death and described the BJP veteran as a “great person”, who showed great interest in Tamil language and culture.

The BJP had fielded nine Lok Sabha candidates in Tamil Nadu in 2014 when it contested the election in alliance with six smaller regional parties. It won just one and polled 22.22 lakh votes. The Congress drew a blank and polled just 17.51 lakh votes despite fielding 39 candidates.

The BJP’S alliance disintegrated in 2016 when the assembly elections were held in Tamil Nadu. The party’s votes dropped to 12.28 lakh. The Congress, which had an alliance with the DMK, polled 27.74 lakh votes.

“We have more votes than the Congress in Tamil Nadu,” a BJP general secretary said. “When the regional parties will decide to align with a national party, the BJP will have an edge over the Congress.”

Tamil Nadu is set to witness a multi-cornered contest with two main regional players – the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the DMK – and over half a dozen other smaller parties vying for the 39 Lok Sabha seats.

The AIADMK is struggling with t he leadership t ussle between TTV Dhinakaran and chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. Dhinakaran is the nephew of former late chief minister J Jyalalithaa’s loyalist, VK Sasikala.