Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai has claimed that the party has been growing in the state and expressed his hope that the saffron party has a good prospect of winning more seats in the rural local body polls in the nine newly demarcated districts. The polls are being held in two phases and the first phase has taken place on Wednesday- October 6 while the second phase has been scheduled for October 9.

While the DMK holds an advantage to sweep the polls being the ruling party, the BJP claims that it would have a political breakthrough. The polls are being held in the districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Kallakurichi, Villupuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Thirupathur, Tirunelveli, and Tenkasi. As BJP has an MLA from Tirunelveli, it expects a good number of rural local bodies while the Central ruling party aims to score more in the northern districts through the ADMK alliance. 

The rural local body polls are the first elections that the Tamil Nadu BJP is facing under the leadership of Annamalai and the results of the polls would display how the saffron camp is strong in the grassroot institutions. As Annamalai is ought to prove his leadership in the ballots, he has been claiming that the BJP has been growing in Tamil Nadu like never before. The polls are a real test for Annamalai as the BJP President on how he won in finalizing the candidates, picking the seats, and put forth Modi's face in what has been an archnemesis for the party. 

Amid facing a challenge for his leadership, Annamalai has claimed that the BJP has been getting the support of people in the local bodies. While addressing the reporters on Tuesday, Annamalai said, "People's minds can change anytime. Though its been five months since DMK came to power, the voters are checking the candidates in their local bodies. This time, we (BJP) have fielded the best candidates and we have given more seats to women from the backward caste. 70% of candidates in Thirupathur were women and by seeing all factors, I think the BJP has a prospect (of winning more seats in the local bodies)." 

The results of the two-phased local body polls will be declared on October 12. The elections are being held in nine districts for 27,003 postings, including 2,901 village panchayat presidents' posts and 22,581 village panchayat ward councillors. A total of 76,59,720 voters are eligible to cast their vote in the two-phased polls. While the ruling DMK is contesting in the polls with the existing alliance, the ADMK is contesting with the BJP and TMC and the parties like PMK, DMDK, Makkal Needhi Maiam, and Naam Tamilar are contesting in the polls independently.