Home Minister Amit Shah participates in Pongal celebration in Tiruchi

The military ground at Mannarpuram in Tiruchi city came alive on Monday as the BJP heralded the harvest season festivities by organising a ‘Namma Ooru Modi Pongal’ with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in attendance.

Senior BJP functionaries and several women’s wing members of the party participated in the event. As many as 1,008 pots were placed in rows on the ground to prepare sweet Pongal. Mr. Shah arrived at the spot a little after noon, accompanied by Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and L. Murugan and BJP State president Nainar Nagenthran.

Present at the venue were the party’s former State presidents K. Annamalai, Pon. Radhakrishnan, and Tamilisai Soundarajan besides party MLA Vanathi Srinivasan and the BJP State general secretary Karuppu Muruganantham.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Shah worshipped at the Sri Jambukeswarar Akilandeswari Temple at Tiruvanaikoil in Tiruchi and the Sri Ranaganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam.

For the second consecutive day, AIADMK senior leader S.P. Velumani met Mr. Shah. He is said to have discussed the political environment in the State with the senior BJP leader. Mr. Velumani was closeted with the Home Minister on Sunday night as well after the latter returned to the hotel after addressing a meeting organised by the party in Pudukottai.

Concluding his two-day visit, Mr. Shah left for Delhi by a BSF special aircraft from the Tiruchi airport.