Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Tamil Nadu on Wednesday to champion the cause of natural farming and disburse massive financial aid to farmers, but his visit to Coimbatore was quickly woven into the state’s escalating political narrative ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.
Upon arriving at the South India Natural Farming Summit 2025, the sight of farmers waving their towels (gamchha) prompted the Prime Minister to draw a direct political parallel.
The “Breeze of Bihar” and Farmer Focus
“When I came on the stage here, I saw several farmers waving their gamchha (towel) in the air. I felt as if Bihar’s breeze reached here even before I could,” Modi said, referring to the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) recent landslide victory in the Bihar Assembly elections, where the alliance secured 202 out of 243 seats. This comment was seen as a clear signal of the BJP’s high expectations for the upcoming Tamil Nadu polls.
While the political undertones were evident, the core of the Prime Minister’s address focused on agriculture:
- PM-Kisan Disbursement: Modi officially released the 21st instalment of the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, transferring over ₹18,000 crore directly into the bank accounts of 9 crore beneficiaries across the country.
- Advocacy for Natural Farming: He called the expansion of natural farming the “need of the 21st century,” stating it is essential to fight climate change, maintain healthy soil, and protect people from harmful chemicals.
- Vision for the Future: Modi praised South Indian farmers for their adoption of traditional, chemical-free methods, predicting that India is “on the path to becoming a global hub for natural farming” and that the youth are increasingly viewing agriculture as a “modern, scalable opportunity.” He specifically lauded farmers in the summit who had left careers in fields like Mechanical Engineering and even NASA to pursue farming.
The Metro Rail War Erupts
The Prime Minister’s visit was framed by an intense political row between the state’s ruling DMK-led coalition and the BJP-led Union government over critical infrastructure projects and electoral processes.
DMK’s “Revenge Politics” Claim
On the day of Modi’s arrival, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched a scathing attack, accusing the Central government of “deliberately blocking” the Metro rail projects for Coimbatore and Madurai out of “political bias” and “revenge.”
“A government exists to serve people without bias. Yet the Union BJP treats Tamil Nadu’s democratic choice as a reason to take revenge,” Stalin said, adding that the approach of giving Metros to smaller Tier II cities in BJP-ruled states while depriving opposition-ruled states is “disgraceful.”
The controversy stems from the Centre recently returning the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for both cities, citing the 2017 Metro Rail Policy which requires a minimum city-proper population of 20 lakh based on the 2011 Census—a criterion both Coimbatore and Madurai reportedly fell short of.
BJP’s Defense and Counter-Argument
State BJP leaders swiftly rejected the accusation, calling the DMK’s attack “misleading.”
Vanathi Srinivasan, National President of the BJP’s Mahila Morcha and Coimbatore South MLA, countered the claim, stating:
- Policy Violation: The Centre returned the DPRs because they were based on the 2017 Metro Policy, which uses outdated 2011 population data (Coimbatore’s figure fell below the 20 lakh threshold).
- Proof of Support: She argued that the state has received ₹1.5 lakh crore in rail funds under the NDA, which is “hardly the sign of any anti-Tamil Nadu agenda.”
- Path for Re-submission: Srinivasan advised that Tamil Nadu could resubmit the proposal using urban agglomeration data (Coimbatore UA is over 21 lakh) or by providing a special justification, citing precedents like the Agra Metro’s approval for tourism reasons.
Additionally, the ruling DMK coalition is opposing the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which they allege is a BJP-led conspiracy to disenfranchise voters, particularly those from underprivileged communities, ahead of the Assembly elections.