Tamil Nadu CM Edapaadi Palaniswami is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Palaniswami, of the AIADMK Sasikala faction, is likely to extend support of the faction's 122 MLAs and 26 MPs for the presidential polls, which will be conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi when they meet.

Modi also met former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam last week on Friday and has been assured of support from the OPS faction as well, with its 10 MLAs and 11 MPs.

Basically, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is assessing the political feedback and getting assurances from smaller parties of the southern states.

Last week, Modi had a meeting with YSR Congress leader Jagan Reddy and with Telangana Rashtriya Samiti leader K Chandrasekhar Rao as well. Telugu Desam's Chandrababau Naidu has already extended support to the BJP.

This means, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will be extending their support to the BJP's presidential candidate.

The EPS-Modi meet will be a political victory for Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu who has been negotiating with the Sasikala faction
to garner support for the BJP.

The vote share of the Sasikala faction of the AIADMK is roughtly 1.2 per cent due to the AIADMK's strength in the Tamil Nadu assembly.

If this is interpreted differently, Palaniswami will plead with the Centre and also the BJP not to dismiss the state government after the Presidential elections. There are speculations making rounds in Tamil Nadu that the BJP is ending its ties with the O Panneerselvam group.

-  R Rajagopalan in New Delhi.

File pic.