Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi visited Tamil Nadu to attend the valedictory of a training camp for Congress district presidents held in Mamallapuram.
Ahead of the visit, there was speculation in Chennai that Gandhi would meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay. However, Gandhi’s Chennai schedule did not include a meeting with the Chief Minister, and the two leaders did not meet.
According to some Tamil Nadu Congress functionaries, state Congress president Manickam Tagore had already indicated that a meeting with Vijay was not part of the itinerary. They also maintained that the absence of a meeting was not due to personal differences.
The sources said TVK leadership is proceeding cautiously on whether to join the INDIA alliance. While a TVK–Congress tie-up in Tamil Nadu is being discussed, TVK has not announced entry into the INDIA bloc, as it seeks to project an independent political identity centred on the state.
They added that TVK is also wary of adopting a confrontational posture towards the Union government, and therefore is not rushing a decision. With Vijay yet to decide on INDIA bloc participation, the Chief Minister was not planning to meet Gandhi during the visit, they said.
