00:03We are cutting across to that meeting between Vijay and Prime Minister Modi.
00:09Chief Minister Vijay of Tamil Nadu and Prime Minister Modi.
00:13Greetings have been exchanged. Flowers are being given.
00:17This is the first meeting that is happening between Vijay and Prime Minister Modi.
00:24This is the first time he's come to Delhi ever since he became the chief minister.
00:30And a lot has been said about this meeting as well.
00:34Very interestingly, before the meeting actually took place, he had sent out a letter to the central government
00:42saying that he wants to discuss the issue of the Kaveri water dispute.
00:48Very, very cleverly sort of timed it all.
00:51But let me take that question to my colleague Akshita who joins us for the latest on this.
00:55Akshita, very interesting meeting. His first meeting with the Prime Minister.
00:59He is not raising any issue of the centre. He is actually raising the issue of a congress-ruled state.
01:05That's an interesting one.
01:09That's right, Sonal. You know, Chief Minister Vijay in that very first meeting with Prime Minister Modi
01:14went in with a handful of papers, essentially issues that he wanted addressed.
01:19And you're right, number one on that list was Mekhidatu.
01:21But I just want to focus for a moment on the pictures that we've got.
01:25And let me be very, very clear.
01:26And I'm not exaggerating when I say, Sonal, that these pictures will break the internet.
01:30These are two of the most popular figures on social media, meeting for the very first time
01:35after the massive mandate in favour of Vijay as Chief Minister.
01:39What we know is that the meeting lasted 25 minutes.
01:42And of the two photos we have, one, of course, you can see the warmth between the two leaders.
01:46They're seated, they're smiling. It's a candid photo.
01:49And the other one is the usual one that you see when any leader or dignitary goes to visit the
01:54Prime Minister,
01:54which is the bouquet that's handed over as a formality, as a welcome and a thank you.
02:00So that particular photo op is very much there.
02:03Vijay, it is a trademark suit that's become essentially his uniform, his go-to,
02:08whenever he's on official duty now.
02:10He's always suited up, irrespective of the Delhi heatwave event.
02:13So these first pictures do show a warmth between the leaders, which is what was expected, Sonal.
02:19Considering that irrespective of whether opposition rules state or not,
02:23there's a certain amount of respect between the leaders,
02:26between the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers of these states.
02:29The only question is beyond the political rivalry, whether when it comes to matters of governance,
02:33whether when it comes to centre-state relations and the progress of a state,
02:37whether they keep those political differences aside.
02:39Tamil Nadu has had a history where the lines have kind of been blurred on that,
02:43where the political differences do unfortunately permeate into governance
02:46and into centre-state differences as well.
02:48Now we'll have to see whether we're looking at a new chapter under Chief Minister Vijay,
02:53where, like if I were to give an example, like a Revant Reddy,
02:56who may have political differences with the Prime Minister,
02:59but every time they meet, it's extremely cordial.
03:02Telangana and the centre, as a state and centre, have had an ideal relationship.
03:06So Vijay could either choose that or choose the manner in which the DMK took on Delhi,
03:11took on the centre, constantly made it a narrative of Delhi trying to sabotage Chennai,
03:15Delhi trying to sabotage Tamil Nadu's progress.
03:18We'll have to see which way it goes, but going by these pictures, the warmth that was expected is very
03:22much there.
03:23I will also highlight, Sonal, that the last time these two leaders met was way back in 2014,
03:28when circumstances were extremely difficult.
03:31Vijay perhaps had no inkling whatsoever or no dream of becoming a politician, was focused on films.
03:37At that point, Narendra Modi wasn't even Prime Minister, he was actually campaigning to be Prime Minister,
03:41and that was the last time they met.
03:43Twelve years later, so much has changed, but nice to see the warmth between the two leaders.
03:49Yeah, nice to see the warmth over there.
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