Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], December 23 : Union Minister Piyush Goyal arrived in Chennai for the first time after being appointed as the BJP's Election In-Charge for Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, marking the formal start of the party's intensified preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections. He is accompanied by Co-Incharge and Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.
Goyal was welcomed at the BJP Tamil Nadu state headquarters, Kamalalayam in T. Nagar, by senior party leaders, including Union Minister of State L. Murugan, BJP State President Nainar Nagenthran, former Telangana Governor and senior leader Tamilisai Soundararajan, and H. Raja.
Soon after his arrival, a crucial meeting of the BJP's Tamil Nadu Core Committee got underway at Kamalalayam under the leadership of Piyush Goyal, Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Nainar Nagenthran. Union Minister of State L. Murugan, central observer Arvind Menon, co-observer Sudhakar Reddy, Tamilisai Soundararajan, and other senior office-bearers are participating in the deliberations.
Addressing the media at the party headquarters, Tamilisai Soundararajan expressed confidence and enthusiasm over the new appointments. "We are very happy that our in-charges, Piyush Goyal and Arjun Ram Meghwal, are coming. We are very much energised and enthusiastic. We are very happy that an experienced person and leader like Piyush ji is appointed as in-charge," she said.
Recalling his earlier role, she added, "He was also in charge in 2019 when I was party President, and he was well-versed with Tamil Nadu politics. He was very friendly with the alliance partners. So we are very happy."
Tamilisai further outlined the BJP's political objective in the state, saying, "When we want to plan our strategy, our main aim is to throw out the DMK. An anti-people government is run by the DMK chief minister, and anti-Hindu sentiments are projected by the DMK government. Our primary aim is to root out the DMK, and all the strategies to be formed to remove the DMK government, we will be a part of it."
Sources said the core committee meeting is expected to focus on election preparedness, organisational strengthening, and alliance strategy. Discussions are also likely on seat-sharing arrangements with the AIADMK as part of the NDA.
Following the meeting, Piyush Goyal and Arjun Ram Meghwal are expected to meet AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami to hold talks on alliance coordination and seat-sharing.
With major political parties in Tamil Nadu gearing up for the polls, both the BJP-led NDA and the ruling DMK-led front have begun early moves to finalise alliances and strategies ahead of the electoral battle.