With 2026 Polls On Mind, PM Modi Asks Tamil Nadu BJP Chief Nainar To Focus On Party

When the newly appointed Tamil Nadu BJP chief Nainar Nagendran met with PM Modi he apparently gifted him a statue of jallikattu, the popular bull taming event in Tamil Nadu which the Modi Govt in 2016 had restored by first issuing an ordinance to overcome the Supreme Court ban. Nainar also presented him the famous Tirunelveli halwa and Srivilliputhur’s palgova (a traditional sweet dish). He was accompanied by his son Nainar Balaji. Modi advised Nagendran to focus on revitalising the state unit and prepare for next year’s elections. A number of Modi visits are likely through the year in the poll-bound state. Nagendran also held discussions with Home Minister Amit Shah and FM Nirmala Sitharaman. On X, Nagendran shared how PM Modi “in every word and gesture” conveyed ” his deep love for the people of Tamil Nadu, and his reverence for our ancient and glorious Tamil language”. Meanwhile, contrary to speculation the BJP nominated an old RSS leader and OBC face Pakka Venkata Satyanarayana for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Andhra Pradesh instead of K Annamalai, former TN BJP chief. Why did Annamalai lose out? It was believed that at this juncture no point would be served by bringing him into the Rajya Sabha with a limited tenure of three years. The party would use him fully in Tamil Nadu until the state elections.