Chennai: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has accused Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay of skipping the swearing-in ceremony of his Keralam counterpart V D Satheesan on Monday, citing fears of political complications.
DMK's Allegations
DMK leader Elangovan stated, "Rahul Gandhi attended Vijay's swearing-in ceremony almost like a stakeholder. But Vijay cancelled his Thiruvananthapuram visit at the last minute, fearing problems." He further alleged that the pending luxury car tax case and the Karur stampede case, both being investigated by central agencies, are possible reasons for Vijay's caution.
TVK's Explanation
Sources from Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) indicated that Vijay is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a few Union ministers in Delhi on May 22. "Till then, the CM didn't want to be at an event that is predominantly a Congress show," said a TVK source. The source added, "He shares a good relation with Rahul Gandhi, but he also wants a good state-Centre rapport."
A senior TVK leader remarked, "The state's financial position remains precarious and the Union government's support is crucial." After appearing alongside Rahul Gandhi at his swearing-in on May 10, Vijay does not want another grand display of TVK-Congress camaraderie, the leader added.
Future Plans
Despite skipping the ceremony, Vijay plans to visit Keralam after returning from Delhi to congratulate Satheesan. Since the election results, interest in TVK has grown in Keralam, where the actor-politician enjoys a large fan base. TVK-backed fan meet-ups have been held in Thrissur, Palakkad, and Wayanad, even though the party is not registered in Kerala. "We are planning similar meetings in more districts. We are also planning to meet him in Chennai," said Biju P Antony, a Thrissur-based fan club organiser.
Administrative Priorities
TVK ministers stated that Vijay had to prioritise administrative work before leaving for Delhi. "The promised white paper on the state's finances is a priority," said a TVK minister. Meanwhile, on May 15, Vijay issued an official order distributing responsibilities for 43 government departments among four senior secretaries: P Senthil Kumar (Secretary-I), Laxmi Priya (Secretary-II), A Annadurai (Secretary-III), and V Vishnu (Additional Secretary). Each secretary has been assigned a cluster of 10 to 12 departments.
