Tamil Nadu CM Stalin calls on PM Modi

New Delhi, Aug 17

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Wednesday, a meeting which was described as a "courtesy visit" by official sources. During his nearly 20-minute meeting with Modi, Stalin is learnt to have raised issues related to Cauvery river, National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), Mekadatu dam and the National Education Policy (NEP).

Sources aware of the development, however, refused to comment on whether Stalin broached these issues with the Prime Minister, and maintained that it was purely a "courtesy visit".

No memorandum regarding the above mentioned demands was released by the state government officials in New Delhi after Stalin's meeting with the Prime Minister.

However, earlier, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister - who arrived in the national capital during the early hours of Wednesday - told mediapersons at the Tamil Nadu House prior to meeting the Prime Minister that he would raise the issues related to the state with him.

Stalin referred to Cauvery river, Mekadatu dam and NEET related issues during the press conference.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister also said that due to unavoidable circumstances, he could not attend the swearing-in ceremony of the President and Vice President, therefore he had sought time to meet them and was granted appointment.

Accordingly, he met President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday morning.

Stalin, while referring to his meeting with Modi, told reporters that as he had contracted Covid, he could not personally come to invite the Prime Minister to inaugurate the recently-concluded Chess Olympiad, which was held in Mahabalipuram.

Stalin said he wanted to meet the Prime Minister to personally thank him for accepting his telephonic invitation for the Chess Olympiad.

Later, the Prime Minister's Office also tweeted about Modi's meeting with Stalin.

"The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru @mkstalin called on PM," it tweeted.

--IANS