When Vijay met Modi: Some urgent points, and a thanks | India Information
4 min learnChennaiMight 27, 2026 08:18 PM IST
First printed on: Might 27, 2026 at 08:18 PM IST
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi in what was each a proper administrative assembly and a fastidiously watched political second in India’s altering southern panorama – a superstar-turned-Chief Minister sitting throughout from a Prime Minister who has spent greater than a decade attempting to broaden his get together’s footprint in Tamil Nadu.
The assembly, held lower than three weeks after Vijay assumed workplace, lasted round 10 minutesin accordance with Tamil Nadu authorities sources. However in Tamil Nadu politics, even pictures can purchase the density of political essays. By night, Tamil social media had already begun circulating side-by-side pictures of Vijay’s assembly with Modi on Wednesday and their earlier interplay from 2014, lengthy earlier than Vijay formally entered politics.
In accordance with the Tamil Nadu authorities, Vijay personally thanked the Prime Minister for facilitating the return of historic Chola-era copper plates from the Netherlands, together with the traditionally important Anaimangalam copper plates.
Past symbolism, the Chief Minister used the assembly to press a number of politically delicate points tied intently to Tamil Nadu’s regional anxieties and identification politics.
Among the many issues raised had been the proposed Mekedatu dam venture throughout the Cauvery river, the repeated arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, the controversy surrounding the singing of Tamil Thai Vazhthu at official features, and the institution of an air navigation centre and defence-linked aviation infrastructure in Tamil Nadu.
In his petition to the Prime Minister, Vijay objected to Karnataka’s proposed bhoomi pooja for the Mekedatu reservoir venture, arguing that it violated each the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award and Supreme Courtroom rulings.
He urged the Union authorities to not allow the venture with out the consent of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, warning that the announcement had triggered “severe concern” amongst farmers within the state.
Vijay additionally knowledgeable Modi that 58 Tamil Nadu fishermen had been at present lodged in Sri Lankan prisons and tons of of fishing boats remained seized. He urged the Centre to accentuate diplomatic efforts to safe their launch and defend coastal livelihoods.
The Chief Minister additionally raised the latest dispute over the singing of Tamil Thai Vazhthu at central government-linked features in Tamil Nadu and sought readability that the state anthem might proceed to be sung earlier than Vande Mataram at official occasions – a difficulty that rapidly escalated into one other chapter in Tamil Nadu’s long-running politics of language, identification and federal assertion.
Within the latest elections, his get together emerged as the one largest power within the Meeting elections with 108 seats and later secured the boldness vote with help from Congress, CPI, CPI(M), VCK and IUML legislators. The belief vote itself grew to become dramatic after 25 AIADMK MLAs rebelled and backed the brand new authorities.
Vijay arrived in Delhi earlier within the day on his first official go to as Chief Minister and was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour at Tamil Nadu Home. He’s additionally scheduled to satisfy Union House Minister Amit ShahFinance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan and senior Congress leaders Sonia GandhiRahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.
If the Modi assembly projected institutional engagement, the remainder of Vijay’s Delhi schedule mirrored the peculiar arithmetic of his authorities – a coalition stitched collectively after the election by events that had contested towards him however later rallied behind him to forestall political instability.
