CHENNAI: Beyond inaugurations, Sunday offered several moments that caught the eye as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay shared the stage, from ‘Vijay for Prime Minister’ banners at IIT Madras to a joint Metro ride and Modi’s Tamil greetings.
Earlier, Vijay received Modi at the Chennai airport along with Rural Development Minister N Anand. On their way to Porur, both Vijay and Modi waved to people gathered along the route. The visit marked a shift in tone from the political friction that often characterised Modi’s engagements in Tamil Nadu under the previous DMK regime.
Though the TVK has described the BJP as its ideological adversary, Vijay has openly expressed a willingness to work with the centre, keeping the state’s interests in mind. One of the more unusual moments came at the IIT Madras event, where both Modi and Vijay addressed the gathering. TVK supporters displayed banners projecting Vijay as the next PM. While TVK leaders and cadre have been projecting Vijay as a potential PM for some time, the banners at the event Modi attended drew particular attention.
At Porur, Modi purchased a ticket and paid via UPI before boarding the newly inaugurated Poonamallee-Vadapalani stretch of Chennai Metro Phase II. During the flag-off ceremony, Modi took Vijay’s hand as they jointly inaugurated the service, making for a striking visual shared widely on social media.
The two later travelled on the Metro together, with officials briefing them on the project. Vijay’s laid-back demeanour during the ride also did not go unnoticed, with social media users turning it into meme material.
Modi also attempted to connect with the audience by incorporating Tamil words into his speeches.
At both the IIT Madras event and the golden jubilee celebrations of Jaigopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya at the Nandambakkam Trade Centre Convention Hall, he repeatedly addressed the audience as “Nanbargale” (friends), bringing a local touch to his remarks. The audience also cheered as the PM used Tamil words to connect with them.
