Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu of having insulted the late Jayalalithaa, apparently trying to win over voters of former ally AIADMK.

A day before the announcement of the poll schedule, Modi addressed BJP rallies in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Telangana, reaffirming his focus on a region where his party has made little electoral headway. He will continue his campaign in the south on Saturday.

“Workers of the DMK and the Congress only know how to cheat and insult women. The people of Tamil Nadu know how the DMK behaved with former (AIADMK) chief minister Jayalalithaa,” the Prime Minister said at a rally in Kanyakumari as he visited Tamil Nadu for the fifth time since January.

Ironically, it was certain remarks by state BJP chief K. Annamalai, perceived as an insult to Jayalalithaa, that had prompted the AIADMK to part ways with the BJP last year.

BJP managers feel that Modi’s efforts can see a substantial jump in the party’s vote share in Tamil Nadu but winning actual seats will demand more than just weaning away some of the AIADMK’s voters.

For that, they believe, their party would need the total migration of the former ally’s votes in certain constituencies. Backchannel efforts are therefore on to get the AIADMK on board again.

Annamalai has claimed his party would secure 25 per cent votes in the upcoming
polls while refraining from making any claims over winning seats.

Currently, however, Modi seems intent on trying to take away a slice of the AIADMK vote. He made a similar effort while addressing a rally in the state last month.

“If there was anyone after MGR, it was ‘Amma’ Jayalalithaa ji who gave her entire life for the people’s welfare,” Modi had said, stressing his close association with the late AIADMK leader.

On Friday, he told the Kanyakumari rally: “The BJP’s performance in the Lok Sabha elections will shatter the arrogance of the DMK and the INDIA alliance.”

He sought to build a pro-BJP narrative by connecting Kanyakumari with Kashmir.

“The people of Jammu and Kashmir rejected those who dreamt of breaking the country. Now the people of Tamil Nadu are going to do the same,” he said.

He referred to the installation of the “holy Sengol” in Parliament and accused the DMK of being an “enemy of the future and culture of Tamil Nadu”.

Modi later addressed a rally in Pathanamthitta, Kerala, campaigning for party candidate Anil K. Antony, son of Congress veteran A.K. Antony.

Here he claimed the BJP would win double-digit seats in the state.

He later flew to Telangana to address a rally and hold a road show.