Amit Shah meets RSS ideologue Gurumurthy, pays floral tributes to Kumari Ananthan

Chennai, April 11 (IANS) Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah met prominent RSS ideologue and Thuglak magazine Editor S. Gurumurthy at his residence in Mylapore.

Gurumurthy, a veteran RSS leader and influential figure within the Sangh Parivar in Tamil Nadu, is believed to wield considerable sway among BJP and RSS cadres in the state.

Sources indicate that Union Minister Shah sought Gurumurthy's views and advice on the potential appointment of a new president for the BJP's Tamil Nadu unit.

Earlier in the day, he paid a visit to BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan in Saligramam to offer his condolences following the death of her father, veteran Congress leader Kumari Ananthan.

Ananthan, a former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 93 due to age-related ailments.

Union Home Minister Shah paid floral tributes to a portrait of Ananthan and spent time consoling the bereaved family.

Tamilisai, who has been with the BJP since her student days, expressed her gratitude for the support she received from senior BJP leaders.

"I thank Amit Shah ji, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, and all the BJP leaders and cadres who reached out to console me, despite knowing that my father was a lifelong Congressman," she said while addressing reporters after the Union Home Minister's visit.

"The Home Minister earlier conveyed his condolences over the phone and has now come in person to offer his sympathies," he said.

Union Cooperation Minister Shah's Chennai visit carries significant political weight, as he is also scheduled to meet AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), along with senior leaders of the Dravidian party. This meeting is expected to be crucial in deciding the future of a possible BJP-AIADMK alliance, especially ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Union Minister Shah and EPS had previously met in New Delhi, accompanied by senior AIADMK leaders and former ministers S. P. Velumani and K. P. Munusamy, sparking widespread speculation about a potential reunion of the two parties.

The BJP-AIADMK alliance, which was intact for several years, broke down in September 2023 following a series of controversial statements made by Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai against revered Dravidian leaders, including C. N. Annadurai (Anna) and J. Jayalalithaa. These remarks angered the AIADMK leadership and were cited as a key reason for the alliance's collapse.

The fallout had a visible impact during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where both parties suffered major setbacks. Despite past tensions, several senior RSS functionaries are reportedly urging the BJP central leadership to rebuild an alliance with a major Dravidian party, viewing AIADMK as the only feasible partner.

The DMK remains firmly in the opposing political camp. Insiders reveal that these RSS leaders have stressed the importance of finalising an alliance well ahead of the 2026 polls to allow for effective ground-level coordination and strategic planning.

In this context, AIADMK leaders are said to have conveyed a request from EPS to Union Minister Shah, asking him to consider replacing Annamalai as the state BJP president - a move they believe could help restore cordial relations between the two parties.

Adding a new twist to the developments, Annamalai on April 4 announced that he is not seeking any leadership role and will continue to serve the BJP as a committed party worker.

--IANS

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