‘Courtesy call’: Tamil Nadu CM Vijay meets M K Stalin, and other party leaders

Heralding a new era in Tamil Nadu politics, historically driven by personal rivalries, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday had a “heartwarming” meeting with his predecessor M K Stalin and his old friend Udhayanidhi as he drove down to their residence for a “courtesy call.” 

Displaying political maturity, Vijay also met MDMK leader Vaiko, PMK chief R Anbumani, and NTK’s S Seeman at their residences, winning hearts online and offline. However, he didn’t visit AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami. 

This is probably the first time in the state’s history that an incumbent has called on the outgoing Chief Minister after assuming office. śThe only precedent was DMK founder C N Annadurai calling on Congress veteran K Kamaraj and Dravidian legend Periyar before swearing-in as the Chief Minister after an emphatic victory in 1967. 

The warmth was palpable through the 10-minute meeting as Leader of Opposition Udhay hugged Vijay at the entrance, while Stalin greeted him with a bear hug outside the drawing room. Attentive to customs, Vijay removed his shoes before entering Stalin’s residence. 

Stalin held Vijay’s hands while taking him to the drawing room. The Chief Minister presented a bouquet and a shawl to Stalin, who reciprocated the gesture by presenting him with a shawl. 

Udhay presented with a book on DMK’s history to Vijay. As Vijay left, both came to see him off at the entrance. Sharing pictures of the meeting, Stalin wrote on X that he wished Vijay well and gave him advice. 

Another heart-warming moment was at Vaiko’s residence where his household staff posed for a photograph with the Chief Minister, even while admitting that they voted for Whistle, TVK’s election symbol. 

At Anbumani’s residence, Vijay posed for pictures with the PMK leader’s wife and newly elected MLA Sowmiya Anbumani and her daughters and their family members. 

Udhay and Vijay go a long way. In fact, Vijay’s Kuruvi was the debut movie of Udhay’s production house, Red Giant, in 2008 and they were close friends for years. Udhay had recalled in 2022 that Vijay came home for lunch before the 2021 assembly elections in which the DMK leader made his debut. 

The camaraderie stands in stark contrast to the vitiated atmosphere when M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa dominated the scene for over three decades – they never saw eye-to-eye and would even skip assembly proceedings to avoid the other. 

Cadres and leaders of AIADMK, at one point, were told not to talk to DMK men or even attend private functions hosted by them.

However, Stalin and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami set a new political courtesy. EPS became the first Chief Minister in decades to welcome the Leader of Opposition to his chamber when Stalin sought an appointment in February 2018 to hand over suggestions to reform transport corporations. 

And, in many ways, the seeds were sown by Stalin and DMK. Stalin visited Apollo Hospitals in October 2016 to enquire about J Jayalalithaa's death, and later paid respects to her lifeless body at the Rajaji Hall, a rare sight in the state. 

And V K Sasikala, who was handling AIADMK's affair after her friend Jayalalithaa's death, deputed senior leaders to visit Kauvery Hospital and enquire about Karunanidhi who was admitted due to age-related illness. 

EPS and Stalin took the cue from there. In 2018, when Karunanidhi's condition deteriorated, a high-powered delegation from AIADMK led by O Panneerselvam visited the iconic Gopalapuram residence of the DMK patriarch to enquire about his health from Stalin. This was probably the first time any AIADMK leader was at Karunanidhi's residence after Jayalalithaa began controlling the party. 

EPS not just visited Karunanidhi during his last days at a private hospital but led a high-powered delegation to pay last respects to the DMK patriarch. And Stalin reciprocated the gesture by driving to EPS' official residence his Chennai after his mother's death in October 2020. 

The state's political veterans like Periyar and Rajaji shared good personal rapport though their ideologies were diametrically opposite to each other. 

Karunanidhi and AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran did maintain "political decency" though they turned politics foes after being friends for decades and used harsh words for the other in their speeches.