Chennai, May 27

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi in a politically significant development that marks the beginning of the actor-turned-politician’s high-profile engagement with the Centre after assuming office earlier this month.

The meeting took place at the Prime Minister’s Office at Seva Teerth and lasted for several minutes. During the interaction, Vijay is understood to have submitted a detailed memorandum seeking Central support for a range of development projects and financial requirements concerning Tamil Nadu.

The meeting has triggered intense political discussions, especially in the backdrop of the newly formed coalition government led by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which recently won the trust vote in the Assembly with a comfortable majority.

Soon after the meeting with the Prime Minister, Vijay arrived at Tamil Nadu House where he was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour during his first official visit to the national capital as Chief Minister.

Vijay assumed office on May 10 after TVK emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly elections. The government was subsequently formed with the support of the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), VCK and IUML, ending decades of single-party dominance in Tamil Nadu politics.

Sources said Prime Minister Modi has invited Vijay to attend the NITI Aayog meeting of Chief Ministers scheduled to be held in New Delhi on June 11. The two leaders are expected to hold more detailed discussions during the event next month.

As part of his Delhi visit, Vijay is also scheduled to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman later in the day.

In addition to his engagements with BJP leaders at the Centre, Vijay is expected to meet senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at 10 Janpath, highlighting the importance of alliance coordination within the ruling coalition.