Chennai
oi-Prakash KL
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Seva Teerth in New Delhi during his first official visit to the national capital after taking office earlier this month. The meeting assumes political significance as it marks the first interaction between the two leaders in over a decade.
Vijay’s last meeting with Modi was in 2014 during an election rally in Coimbatore, long before the actor-turned-politician entered active politics and launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Since then, the actor-turned-politician has emerged as one of the key political figures in Tamil Nadu following the party’s impressive electoral performance in the recent Assembly polls.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi marking his first official visit since taking office, to discuss state development projects, financial support, and investments.
The Chief Minister, who departed from Chennai earlier in the day, held detailed discussions with the Prime Minister on several issues concerning Tamil Nadu. It is reported that the talks covered infrastructure development projects, financial support from the Centre, industrial investments, welfare initiatives and various pending demands of the State government.
During his visit to Delhi, Vijay also visited Tamil Nadu House, where he was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour. The Chief Minister is expected to hold a series of high-profile meetings with senior Union ministers and national leaders during his stay in the capital.
Vijay is scheduled to meet Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman later in the day. The meetings are expected to focus on administrative coordination between the State and the Centre, along with discussions on development projects and fiscal allocations for Tamil Nadu.
Apart from the BJP leadership, Vijay is also expected to meet senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge at 10 Janpath. A poster featuring Rahul Gandhi and Vijay was reportedly put up outside the Congress leader’s residence ahead of the meeting, signalling the importance of the interaction in the evolving political landscape.
Leaders from Left parties and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) are also likely to call on the Chief Minister at Tamil Nadu House as a gesture of courtesy and political solidarity.
This marks Vijay’s first official Delhi visit after securing the confidence vote in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on May 13. His government survived the floor test with the support of Congress, CPI, CPI(M), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and IUML legislators.
The Vijay-led TVK emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly elections by winning 108 seats. During the trust vote, Vijay secured 144 votes in favour in the Assembly. While the ruling alliance accounted for 119 MLAs, the government also received unexpected support from several opposition legislators.
In a dramatic turn during the floor test, 25 AIADMK MLAs rebelled and voted in favour of Vijay’s government. Twenty-two MLAs voted against the motion, while five abstained. Expelled AMMK MLA Kamaraj also backed the government during the crucial vote.
