Tamil Nadu CM, Dy CM give Amit Shah unprecedented welcome at Chennai airport

Union Home Minister and BJP's election strategist Amit Shah arrived at Chennai on Saturday to an unprecedented welcome with Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, his deputy O Panneerselvam and six of their cabinet colleagues lining up to receive him at the Chennai Airport.

Shah was also given a rousing reception, both inside and outside the airport, with supporters of BJP and ally AIADMK holding flags of their respective parties lining up along the route his cavalcade took.

As Shah surprised all by getting out of his car and walked for a while, a man flung a placard at him. However, the placard did not hit him. Police said 67-year-old Durairaj has been detained for the same.

Meanwhile, the Home Minister inaugurated a new reservoir that would meet the drinking water needs of Chennai, and laid the foundation stone for a slew of projects, including the ambitious phase-II of Chennai Metro Rail.

The reception that Shah received at the airport was unprecedented, courtesy the Tamil Nadu government which walked the extra mile to bring smiles on the face of its alliance partner. Palaniswami, and Panneerselvam waited along with their cabinet colleagues at the tarmac for a few minutes to welcome Shah.

Besides the duo, Ministers K A Sengotaiyyan, P Thangamani, S P Velumani, D Jayakumar, 'MaFoi' K Pandiarajan, P Benjamin, and AIADMK's lone MP in Lok Sabha, O P Raveendranath also welcomed the Home Minister. This is probably the first time that a Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has received the Home Minister at the airport.

Shah, who will stay at Chennai overnight, will meet office-bearers of the BJP at a five-star hotel and discuss election strategy.