Stalls for everything seems to be the mood in the Bharatiya Janata Party camp in Tamil Nadu.
While the party’s national leadership converted Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s jibe at its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, into a full-fledged campaign through ‘NaMo’ tea stalls, the Tamil Nadu unit went a step further on Tuesday, putting up a ‘NaMo’ fish stall near the Marina Beach here.
This “innovation,” as party members called it, was the upshot of ‘Kadal Thamarai,’ a protest the party organised recently at Rameswaram.
Fishermen's support
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj had promised the gathering that the BJP, if voted to power, would create a separate ministry for fisheries. Mr. Modi has consistently taken up the issue of attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy in his speeches.
“In a gesture of gratitude, we decided to put up a fish stall to drum up support for Mr. Modi,” BJP State Fishermen Wing chief Semmalar Sekar said.
The stall, which would operate from a van stationed near the lighthouse, sports a picture of Mr. Modi holding a fish.
It was inaugurated by senior leader L. Ganesan.
Mr. Sekar said the party would open more such stalls across the State.