'Tamil Nadu Ready for NDA Govt': Piyush Goyal As Alliance Finalises Seat-Sharing For Assembly Polls

Chennai: Union Minister Piyush Goyal arrived in Chennai on Monday to finalise seat-sharing for the upcoming Assembly elections, expressing confidence that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will "sweep" the polls. Meeting with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State President Nainar Nagenthran, Goyal promised that the alliance is poised to deliver strong governance to the people of both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Speaking to reporters, Goyal said, “NDA is going to sweep the elections and give a good government to the people of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.” On the seat sharing for the upcoming Assembly elections, Goyal said, "When I used to do the free trade agreements, they never worked with a deadline; I worked for quality, citing we are all together as one family."

"I am quite confident, given the family relations that we have, the whole NDA works as a family, led by AIADMK's EPS, Ambumani Ramadoss, TTV Dinakaran, my own party president, Nainar Nagenthran, L Murugan, we are all together as one family, among many other partners, and we will all sit down in a room and decide and let you know today..." On PM Modi's next visit to Tamil Nadu, he says, "Once we launch our campaign, we will discuss with all the partners and decide on the Prime Minister's program," said Goyal.

He asserted that the people of Tamil Nadu want a government that will bring development and change for the farmers, for the fishermen, for the MSMEs. "Tamil Nadu today is ready for an NDA government, a strong national democratic alliance under the guidance and visionary leadership of PM Modi, who yesterday crossed the record and became the longest serving head of government in the history of India. The people of Tamil Nadu want a government led by the future Chief Minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, a government which will bring development for the farmers, for the fishermen, for the MSMEs, for industry, provide jobs to our young men and women, give opportunity for startups to innovate, and provide quality healthcare and quality education, will give houses for the poor, will make sure that everybody gets opportunity in life to prosper and work towards a developed Tamil Nadu."

Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4. The current tenure of the 234-member state assembly ends on May 10. The main electoral contest is expected between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which includes Congress, DMDK, and other parties, and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) with BJP and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies. 

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