Political vacuum in TN, BJP will fill it: Venkaiah Naidu

There is a political vacuum in Tamil Nadu and BJP will come out strong in next elections, union minister for urban development M Venkaiah Naidu has said.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave South in Chennai, he said, "People elected AIADMK, which has selected O Panneerselvam as the chief minister. We will work with him."

Refusing to commit to whether the Centre would bring about an amendment to facilitate the conduct of jallikattu this year, Union urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday supported the bull-taming sport saying it was a traditional art of Tamil Nadu.

"According to me, personally, this has been a traditional art or traditional game of the people of Tamil Nadu. And nobody should have any objection. But, the highest court of the land has expressed a view. I, as a minister, am not supposed to contradict the court's stand," Naidu said.

At the session titled “Cooperate and Compete: The Federal Mantra”, Naidu dispelled a number of myths that have spread since the NDA government assumed power, battling allegations of centralisation of decision-making process and draining the states of their rightful power.

“I have nothing to do with Tamil Nadu government. I am a friend of Tamil Nadu state, and its government”, he said.

Naidu even said that PM Modi has extended his full cooperation with the state government of Tamil Nadu, and its present CM O Panneerselvam. “The Centre is always ready to help the Tamil Nadu government,” he said at the conclave.