M K Stalin Calls On PM Modi, Deliberates Key Tamil Nadu Issues

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed state-specific development issues with him.

Stalin called on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar and described the meeting, a courtesy visit, as satisfactory. On his Twitter handle, Stalin said he visited Modi and discussed key issues pertaining to Tamil Nadu's development.

The Chief Minister said he thanked Modi for having inaugurated the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Chennai. The Prime Minister appreciated the grand manner in which Tamil Nadu hosted the event and conveyed that it was a proud moment for India, he said.

Stalin presented to Murmu, Modi and Dhankar collections of Tamil Nadu's various traditional rice and millet varieties. It includes 'Mappillai Samba' (red rice) and 'Thinai' (foxtail millet).

He spoke over phone to Congress party's top leader Sonia Gandhi and enquired about her health. The president of the grand old party is in isolation after she again tested positive days ago for COVID-19.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi ahead of his meeting with Modi, Stalin had said that he would take up issues like the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, Cauvery river water issue and the Mekedatu dam proposal of Karnataka.

Among other issues, he said that he would be raising the anti-NEET Bill pending with the Centre and deliberate on the Union government's National Education Policy 2020.

This is the first time the Chief Minister is visiting Murmu and Dhankar after they assumed office. "I conveyed my greetings to them," he said in the national capital.

Though he was invited, the Chief Minister said he could not take part in the swearing-in ceremony of Murmu and Dhankar due to circumstances.

The conversations he had with both the President and Vice President were cordial and it was on Tamil Nadu's political scenario and 'Aatchi sirappukkal' (excellence in governance/good governance). Hence, Stalin said the meetings with the top two constitutional authorities were satisfactory.

Recalling his earlier meetings with Modi in Delhi, Stalin said though several demands of Tamil Nadu flagged by him during past visits were inching towards fulfillment, a host of other representations are yet to be taken up by the Centre.
Stalin wrapped up his one-day visit to Delhi and returned to Chennai.

On August 16, Stalin had said in Chennai that his visit to Delhi was aimed at getting requisite projects for the state.
In his capacity as the Chief Minister, he has the responsibility of securing necessary projects from the Centre for the welfare of Tamil Nadu and its people, he had said.

There is a relationship between the Union and the state governments and not between the DMK and the BJP, Stalin had asserted.