COIMBATORE: In order to chalk out strategy for Tamil Nadu for the 2019 elections, BJP National president, Amit Shah will be visiting Chennai on July nine, party General Secretary P. Muralidhar Rao said on Wednesday.

As part of his visit, Shah will spend time with the senior leaders of the State, who have been asked to prepare papers, on the future strategy to be adopted. Rao told reporters here.

He would gather inputs, like approach of the party in each constituency, before finalising the strategy for the 2019 polls, which are very important to the BJP, he said.

Stating that Shah will meet prominent people and well wishers of BJP, Rao said that he will address the persons in-charge of 5 booths (kshetikendram) and interact with them and other office bearers.

Shah will also share the next five months target in Tamil Nadu with these in-charges, he said, adding the poll preparation program will be started by Shah.

Rao said that politics in Tamil Nadu now are on the threshold of new era, as old leaderships and the parties, which have ruled for the last 50 years have changed so are the things.

Stating that BJP is doing the same kind of preparation in entire country, he said “Shah is travelling to every state to take stock of the situation”.

Though BJP could not form the Government in Karnataka, the party has reduced Congress from 122 to 78 and JD (S) to 37 fro 42, while BJP grown from 40 to 104, he said.

“This we wanted in South India. After this victory, Congress as a national party has disappeared from South. It has lost Kerala, decades back it lost its position in Tamil Nadu, it got decimated in Andhra Pradesh and lost power in Telangana. As a national party, it is only BJP capable of becoming a player in South India,” he said.

“So 2019 election is crucial and important for us. BJP is taking Tamil Nadu preparation very seriously,” Rao said. adding that BJP has started its preparation to create a strong political organisation starting from booth level to the parliament level.

When asked whether he saw challenges in the run up to 2019 elections, Rao said “We will be more formidable this time I do not rule out alliance. At the national level also, the number of parties will increase, but not come down.”

Stating that it was the most convenient time for BJP in Tamil Nadu to grow, as the popularity of Central government among Tamil people was high, he said that the party was not disturbed by some local groups, which are anti BJP otherwise also, whose interest in Tamil people has always been secondary.