Tamil Nadu CM Vijay to meet Sonia Gandhi, Rahul on June 11: Congress MP Christopher Tilak

Tamil Nadu Congress MP Christopher Tilak dismissed speculation surrounding postponement of a meeting between Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and senior party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

He said the interaction was deferred due to the leadership's tight schedule.

“The CM met PM Modi and left. He is expected to visit New Delhi again on June 11, during which he will definitely meet Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi,” Tilak said.

Explaining the last-minute change in plans, the Congress MP said senior party leaders were preoccupied with important organisational matters.

“Leaders from Karnataka arrived today, and discussions regarding Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand have been underway for the past two days. Since the leadership is engaged in these pressing matters, a detailed meeting with the chief minister was not possible at this juncture,” he said.

Tilak added that the chief minister also had other scheduled engagements, including a statue unveiling ceremony at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

Dismissing speculation about any rift between the alliance partners, Tilak emphasised the strong relationship between the Congress and its ally.

“We are coalition partners and part of the government. There is no complication or disagreement. Rahul Gandhi was among the first leaders to warmly support CM Vijay during his swearing-in ceremony. There is absolutely nothing negative to speculate about,” he said.

When asked about reports of a proposed dinner meeting, the MP said he had no specific information on the matter.

(with PTI inputs)