Union Home Minister Amit Shah kept himself very busy on Monday in Tiruchirappalli, topped by a mammoth Pongal event held by the Bharatiya Janata Party Mahila Morcha at Mannarpuram. Not just a visual feast, this event was a showcase of how 1,008 earthen pots, decorated and topped with sugarcane stalks, were used to cook the traditional harvest food of rice, lentils, and jaggery at the same time. Not content to just witness, Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in cooking Pongal, a deliberate attempt to establish a cultural connect with the people.
The gathering, branded as "Namma Ooru Modi Pongal", is part of a broader push by the BJP to link Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image with Tamil Nadu’s most significant cultural festival. A high-profile roster of leaders accompanied the Home Minister, including Mahila Morcha chief Vanathi Srinivasan, state president Nainar Nagenthran, Union Minister L Murugan, and former state chief K Annamalai.
Before the festivities began, Shah wrapped up the final leg of his two-day visit to the state with a spiritual itinerary. He offered prayers at the historic Sri Jambukeshwar Akilandeshwari temple in Thiruvanaikaval and the iconic Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple in Srirangam. This followed his appearance on Sunday in nearby Pudukkottai, where he spoke at the conclusion of Nainar Nagenthran’s state-wide march, "Tamilagam Thalai Nimira Tamilanin Payanam," signaling the party's intensified focus on the region ahead of upcoming political cycles.
Also read: After Bihar, BJP will uphold ‘coalition ethics’ in TN: Annamalai
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