Nirmala Sitharaman Flags Off BJP Tamil Nadu Unit’s Statewide Yatra from Madurai

Senior BJP leader and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrived at Madurai airport today to flag off the statewide yatra (campaign tour) led by BJP Tamil Nadu Unit President Nainar Nagendran. She was warmly received at the airport by senior party leaders, functionaries, and BJP karyakartas.

Ms. Nirmala’s office posted on X, “Smt @nsitharaman was accorded a warm welcome by @BJP4TamilNadu Karyakartas upon her arrival at the Madurai Airport in Tamil Nadu.”

Initially, BJP National President and Union Minister J.P. Nadda was scheduled to flag off the rally but was unable to attend due to his commitments related to the Bihar Assembly elections.

Hundreds of BJP cadres, along with alliance partner AIADMK party members, are expected to participate in the yatra. Top BJP state leaders, including MLA and Mahila Morcha National President Vanathi Srinivasan, past presidents K. Annamalai and Tamilisai Soundararajan, and other functionaries are also set to take part.

Nainar Nagendran, who is also the BJP Legislature Party leader, stated that AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, whose party has renewed electoral ties with BJP, is expected to participate in the flagging off of the rally.

The BJP’s statewide yatra, named “Tamilagam Thalai Nimira Tamizhanin Payanam” (A Tamilian's march for Tamil Nadu’s resurgence), will begin from Anna Nagar in Madurai with a large public meeting.

The campaign aims to highlight the failures of the ruling DMK government led by M.K. Stalin, accusing it of being “anti-people” and not fulfilling its poll promises. The opposition AIADMK front has vowed to oust the DMK in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Police have granted permission for the yatra but imposed stricter conditions in line with new state government guidelines to prevent any untoward incidents. These measures come after the tragic Karur stampede during actor-politician Vijay’s rally, which resulted in 41 deaths and over 50 injuries.

Among the conditions are barring pregnant women and children from attending the rally, and organizers must provide adequate drinking water for participants.

In the first leg of the yatra, Nainar Nagendran will cover southern districts, including Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram, and Virudhunagar, before concluding the tour at Tirunelveli on October 17.