Palanisamy meets Modi in Delhi; to decide on Prez poll support to BJP
Merger talks between the two factions of the AIADMK also might revive after Palanisamy's meeting with Modi, reports said.
New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday morning.
Reports said he was in the national capital to discuss several issues with Modi, including the presidential polls and the feud within the AIADMK.
Palanisamy is expected to pledge his party's support to the BJP-led NDA nominee for President, said NDTV. "We will decide soon (on Presidential polls), " Palanisamy was quoted as saying after the meeting.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is trying to gain the support of both AIADMK factions for the presidential polls due in July.
In a hint of the party’s efforts, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu had met Palanisamy a couple of days earlier at the state secretariat.
Reports also suggest that the merger talks between the warring factions of the AIADMK, which has been on hold, might revive after Palanisamy’s meeting with Modi. Notably, the CM has also convened a meeting of the State Assembly after his return from New Delhi.
The meeting will also see the discussion of NEET (National eligibility cum entrance test) and drought relief, media reports had said.
Earlier, ten AIADMK MLAs met the Chief Minister on Tuesday, a day after eight MLAs headed by former minister ‘Thoppu’ N. Venkatachalam met Palanisami.
They said their meeting was confined to constituency issues, but one of them said they also wanted a representation in the ministry for Nadar community, which has no ministers after the exit of former education minister ‘Mafoi’ K. Pandiarajan.