If elected, NDA government will turn Tamil Nadu into another Manipur: R.S. Bharathi

Reacting to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments on Sunday that the NDA will come to power in Tamil Nadu in 2026, the DMK organisation secretary, R.S. Bharathi, said if that happened, they (BJP) will turn the State into another Manipur (which has witnessed ethnic violence).

In a statement, Mr. Bharathi said Mr Shah has been stating the same thing whenever he comes to Tamil Nadu for a visit.

“Mr Shah’s love for Tamil and Tamils is akin to lion wearing a cow’s skin. He has said the BJP (and AIADMK alliance) will come to power in Tamil Nadu like they did in Odisha, Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi. How can Tamils forget the Odisha state assembly elections?” he asked. He recalled that Mr Amit Shah had in May last year said: ‘How can a Tamil (an IAS officer named Pandian was a close aide of former CM Naveen Patnaik) be allowed to rule Odisha?”.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said the keys to the treasury of Puri Jagannath temple was in Tamil Nadu and portrayed Tamils like they are thieves. Now, Mr Shah talks about Tamils and Tamil Nadu in Madurai. BJP even released a campaign video where they lampooned a man wearing a shirt and a dhoti and serving old food on a banana leaf,” he said.

According to Mr. Bharathi, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has entered every home through the welfare schemes of the Tamil Nadu government. “This is not the first time that Mr Shah has said that BJP-AIADMK alliance will win. He said the same thing during 2021 Assembly elections. He said the BJP will win more seats in 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Nothing happened. NDA has only faced defeats in Tamil Nadu,” the DMK leader said.

Published - June 09, 2025 12:31 am IST