On the occasion of Pongal, two prominent national leaders, BJP President J.P. Nadda and Rahul Gandhi were on tour in the state but the former Congress President Rahul Gandhi chose to target the BJP over an alleged invasion on Tamil Language and culture. Rahul said this after witnessing Jallikattu and set the ball rolling for the Congress Assembly campaign in the state.
Gandhi said ,”It was quiet a lovely experience to see Tamil culture and history in action. I think Tamil culture, Tamil language, Tamil History are essential for the future of India and need to be respected by everybody in India.” Gandhi attacked the BJP without taking any names “I have come here to give message to those people who think they can run roughshod over Tamil people language and culture,” he further said.
The Congress leader was accompanied by MK Stalin’s son. Tamil Nadu will witness Assembly polls this year, with the ruling AIADMK and opposition DMK the main contestants the Congress is eyeing a return to power with the DMK.
The DMK outsmarted the AIADMK in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and holds an advantage in Assembly polls as the ruling party doesn’t have a charismatic leader such as Jayalalitha to once again storm to power.
While the DMK has an alliance with the Congress, the AIADMK will likely go with the BJP. BJP President JP Nadda is in the state to celebrate Pongal, but the way Rahul Gandhi chose to attack the BJP appears to be part of a well-thought-out strategy since the opposition in the State has been opposing the New Education Policy and called it an infringement into the state culture.
The Congress is optimistic as its alliance with the DMK and the CPI won 38 seats out of 39 in the Lok Sabha.
There is a anti-incumbency factor in the state too with the AIADMK ruling the state for two terms and this time there can’t be any Jaya wave to help them emerge winners.