Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin landed in Delhi on Thursday evening for a two-day visit, receiving a warm welcome from DMK leaders, including prominent parliamentarians T R Baalu, Tiruchi Siva, Dayanidhi Maran, K Kanimozhi, and T Sumathy.
Shortly after his arrival in the national capital, Stalin met with the legal team that handled the case of Senthil Balaji, the former Tamil Nadu minister who was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Thursday. The Chief Minister congratulated the advocates for their successful efforts leading to Senthil Balaji’s release from prison.
Key Meeting With PM Modi On Agenda
On Friday, CM Stalin is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he will likely push for the early release of central funds critical to several key state projects. Among these is funding for the Chennai Metro Phase-II and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), a universal education initiative. Stalin’s visit comes amid concerns over delays in the allocation of these funds, with the Tamil Nadu government reportedly unhappy with the Union Government's proposal to link the PM-SHRI schools scheme to the release of SSA funds, as reported by PTI.
The PM-SHRI initiative, aimed at developing model schools to serve as leadership hubs for neighboring institutions, has faced resistance from the Tamil Nadu administration, which views it as a potential hurdle to securing much-needed funds for existing education programs.
I.N.D.I.A Bloc Coordination
Apart from his meeting with PM Modi, CM Stalin is also expected to hold discussions with leaders from Congress and other members of the I.N.D.I.A bloc, according to a report on IANS.
The visit comes ahead of a significant public rally in Kancheepuram on September 28, where leaders from the opposition coalition will gather.