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Vaithilingam-Radhakrishnan meeting sets off rumours
Speculations are around that AIADMK MP and deputy coordinator of the party R Vaithilingam is planning to join the BJP after his meeting with Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan in Thanjavur on Thursday. He held a lengthy discussion for more than an hour with the Minister.
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Tanjore
Emerging out of the meeting from the travellers bungalow, Vaithilingam said, “It was just a courtesy call.” Though he managed to prevent any further speculation over the meeting, the talks were around in the entire region about Vaithilingam joining the BJP ever since there was a split in the AIADMK after the demise of J Jayalalithaa.
Vaithilingam, who won the confidence of Jayalalithaa and served as a strong pillar during her regime, lost in the Orathanadu assembly segment, however, he was given a Rajya Sabha seat.
After the demise of Jayalalithaa, Vaithilingam distanced himself from the party headquarters and it was rumoured that he was going to join the BJP.
On Thursday, Vaithilingam along with 20 AIADMK functionaries, including student wing secretary Gandhi, ex-assembly segment secretary Durai Gnanam and branch secretary Ramesh, met the Union Minister around 10 am. Radhakrishnan was present for the second day at the travellers bungalow for the BJP’s Farmers Rights Retrieval cycle rally in the Delta districts.
After a brief meeting, the AIADMK members and the BJP members left the room and Vaithilingam continued his discussion with Radhakrishnan for over an hour.
Though those who were present were tight-lipped, the meeting of Vaithilingam with the Union Minister went viral among the party cadre belonging to both the AIADMK and the BJP.
After the meeting, Vaithilingam said that it was just a courtesy call and told the reporters that
they were discussing about the Cauvery dispute.
Will meet K’taka CM over Cauvery: Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan
Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan said he would meet Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa after a month’s time, to discuss about Cauvery water sharing and improving inter-state relations.
Responding to a question during a press meet here on Thursday, the Union Minister said even before the elections he sought for a month’s time since the assumption of a BJP-led government in Karnataka to meet the new Chief Minister for Cauvery water sharing.
“I hope the issue would be resolved by then. However, I would meet the Karnataka Chief Minister for Cauvery water sharing, to improve the relations between the two states and on the welfare of Tamils living in Karnataka,” he added. He also said that the BJP has been taking steps to solve the 150-year-old Cauvery dispute and it will also bring good news to the Tamil Nadu farmers.
The Union Minister said he has hopes that the Cauvery water due for Tamil Nadu would definitely flow. Radhakrishnan lauded the loan waiver for farmers announced by Yeddyurappa as his first move.
The Union Minister said he did not see any impropriety in Karnataka Governor’s decision to invite Yeddyurappa to form the government. “All is not over. The Governor has asked Yeddyurappa to prove his majority within 15 days,” he added.
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