Archive · 11 Oct 2026
Vijay Balances Rahul Gandhi Meeting With Modi Metro Ride
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for lunch and coffee.
The next day, he rode the metro with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visited a temple.
Modi was in Chennai for transport and other development projects.
Vijay’s party says some supporters want him to become prime minister, but that is not the party’s official position.
Vijay has also called the BJP an ideological opponent.
As chief minister, though, he needs to work with the national government.
He asked Modi for funds, roads and several metro projects, but Modi did not make specific promises about those requests.
These meetings show Vijay trying to maintain different political relationships while leading Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay met Rahul Gandhi for lunch and coffee before joining Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a metro ride and temple visit.
Modi visited Chennai to launch Chennai Metro Rail Phase II and inaugurate or lay foundation stones for projects worth about ₹13,000 crore.
Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) says calls for him to become prime minister reflect some cadres’ aspirations, not official party policy.
Vijay submitted requests to Modi, including release of withheld funds, highway upgrades and approval for additional metro projects; Modi made no specific commitments.
Vijay’s engagements highlight the challenge of maintaining ties with Congress while cooperating with the Union government led by the BJP.
- Who
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- What
- Vijay met Rahul Gandhi and then accompanied Modi on a metro ride and temple visit, amid competing political relationships and national ambitions.
- When
- The meetings took place on consecutive days; the article identifies the second day as Saturday.
- Where
- Chennai, Tamil Nadu, including a temple on the IIT Madras campus.
- Why
- Vijay is balancing relations with Congress and the Union government while pursuing Tamil Nadu’s development requests and keeping open his national political ambitions.
Vijay’s political balancing act
Different political priorities
Working with the Union government
Vijay’s political balancing act
Vijay’s government says it will work with the Centre for Tamil Nadu’s welfare and development, and has avoided describing the relationship as inherently adversarial.
Different political priorities
Vijay has called the BJP his party’s ideological enemy, while seeking specific funding and infrastructure decisions from Modi’s government.
National leadership ambitions
Vijay’s political balancing act
Some TVK cadres and ministers have voiced support for Vijay as a future prime minister, and Vijay has not ruled out a larger national role.
Different political priorities
TVK says the ‘Vijay for PM’ calls are not official party policy, while Congress is promoting Rahul Gandhi as its 2029 prime ministerial face.
Congress relationship
Vijay’s political balancing act
Vijay’s lunch and coffee meeting with Rahul Gandhi appeared intended to dispel speculation about tensions between the allies.
Different political priorities
The article describes potential competition between Vijay’s national ambitions and Congress’s plans, even as the parties support the TVK government.
- Metro event
- Modi flagged off Chennai Metro Rail Phase II.
- Project value
- Projects inaugurated or launched during Modi’s visit were worth around ₹13,000 crore.
- Vijay’s requests
- They included release of withheld funds, six-laning of three highways, and approval for Chennai Phase III and metro projects for Madurai and Coimbatore.
- Additional request
- Vijay also sought an interstate metro link between Hosur and Bommasandra and Tamil as an official language of the Madras High Court.
- Modi’s response
- The article says Modi made no specific commitments on Vijay’s requests.
- TVK position
- The party says calls for Vijay to become prime minister are the aspiration of some cadres, not its official position.
- Congress election stance
- Congress has been pitching Rahul Gandhi as its prime ministerial face for the 2029 Lok Sabha election.