Amit Shah springs a surprise, walks on Chennai road to greet supporters

Shah is slated to attend a Tamil Nadu government event later in the day, where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for projects worth over Rs 67,000 crore, including phase II of Chennai Metro Rail.

By: PTI

Chennai | Updated: November 22, 2020 07:13 AM IST

3 min read

Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Chennai (Source: Amit Shah/Twitter)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday sprang a surprise here when he virtually broke protocol to get out of his vehicle and walk on the busy GST Road outside the airport to greet supporters, minutes after he landed here for a two-day visit of the city.

Soon after his arrival from Delhi, Shah was received by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami, his deputy O Panneerselvam, senior cabinet members and BJP State President L Murugan among others, before proceeding to the city hotel where he will be put up.

However, after exiting the airport, Shah’s car suddenly stopped and the BJP veteran got out, before walking a short distance, waving at scores of BJP and AIADMK workers who had gathered to receive him with their respective party flags.

Accompanied by BJP National General Secretary and party in-charge of poll-bound Tamil Nadu, CT Ravi, and Murugan, with his security detail in tow, the Home Minister warmly waved at the overjoyed supporters who had thronged the airport since the morning.

A heavy security cover has been provided in the city following Shah’s visit, during which he will meet state BJP functionaries and possibly discuss Tamil Nadu elections, due next April-May, before leaving on Sunday morning.

Later during the day, Shah dedicated a Rs 380 crore fifth reservoir to cater to the city’s drinking water supply and laid the foundation stone for various infrastructure projects, totalling over Rs 67,000 crore, across the state.

The projects for which Shah laid the foundation stone included the Rs 61,843 crore phase II of Chennai Metro Rail,
elevated highway in Coimbatore at an estimated Rs 1,620 crore, a barrage across river Cauvery in Karur district and
IOCL’s projects worth over Rs 3,000 crore here.

Shah dedicated the Thervaikandigai resevoir in Tiruvllur district and laid the foundation stone for the initiatives virtually from Kalaivanar Arangam here in the event attended by Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy
O Panneerselvam.

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