TIRUVANNAMALAI: BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday offered prayers at the Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai and paid a visit to the Shri Ramana Maharshi Ashram in the town as part of his country-wide tour.

A helicopter carrying Shah landed at a temporary helipad on the premises of the Tiruvannamalai Government Arts College around 10.20am.

Tamil Nadu minister Hindu religious and charitable endowments Sevur S Ramachandran received Shah. AIADMK legislators Dusi K Mohan and MP R Vanaroja were also present.

Initially, Vanaroja, who represents Tiruvannamalai constituency in the Lok Sabha, was not allowed to enter the helipad as her name was not found on the VIPs' list. Irked over this, she entered into a heated argument with police personnel. Later, she was allowed.

Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan and other BJP leaders like Tamilisai Soundararajan, H Raja and Muralidhar Rao were also present at the helipad to receive Shah.

From the helipad, the BJP president went to the Ramana Maharshi Ashram and spent nearly 40 minutes there.

Tamilisai, who is BJP's state president, entered into an argument with superintendent of police of Tiruvannamalai R Ponni after the district police denied permission to the party cadre to take out a rally from the Ramana Maharshi Ashram to the temple citing security reasons. She stated that they wanted to organise a two-wheeler rally in honour of their party leader.

"Nearly 500 party members assembled with their two-wheelers. We have been asking for permission for week for the rally, but the police denied permission citing security reasons," said Tamilisai.

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Amit Shah: BJP president Amit Shah visits Ramana Maharshi ... - Times of India