Chennai, Dec 19 (IANS): Tamil Nadu BJP state president K. Annamalai will undertake a year-long padyatra (foot march) across the 234 Assembly constituencies of the state.

According to a statement from the state BJP office, the yatra will be divided into two phases.

The padayatra, scheduled to commence in April 2023 and culminate by April 2024, is aimed at establishing a connection with the people before the general elections, senior BJP leaders said.

In the first phase, the state president will walk for 100 days and in the second phase, he will cover the distance in 120 days.

A senior leader of the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP told IANS, "The padayatra of the state president will cover all the 234 Assembly constituencies. K. Annamalai will meet a large number of people across the state and will take their feedback on the issues faced by them."

The Tamil Nadu BJP is expecting to get a few seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with the party having strength in Kanyakumari and Coimbatore areas. The party is also keen in gaining a foothold in other areas of the state.

It is to be noted that ever since Annamalai assumed office as the state president of the BJP, the stakes of the saffron party had gone up. The state BJP president, who is a former IPS officer of Karnataka cadre has given new vigour to the party which has been puffing and panting in the Dravidian heartland of Tamil Nadu with not many gains.

The padayatra to be taken up by the state BJP president is likely to bring the much-needed grassroots connect for the party and this could turn into a major catalyst for future growth of the saffron party in Tamil Nadu.