CHENNAI, India — A delegation of Sri Lankan Tamil nationalist leaders who once passed over Vijay when he was an opposition politician met him Friday as Tamil Nadu's chief minister, marking a striking reversal as the actor-turned-politician completed his rapid rise to power.
The seven-member delegation from the Tamil National People's Front-led Tamil National Council held talks with Mr. Vijay at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat in Chennai, presenting a memorandum on Sri Lankan Tamil political rights, alleged wartime atrocities, federalism, refugee issues, and the dispute involving Indian and Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen.
According to multiple sources familiar with the discussions, the meeting came only after weeks of efforts by the delegation to secure an appointment with the new chief minister.
The visit stands in contrast to the delegation's previous engagement in Tamil Nadu before the state's last election. During that trip, the group met then-Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Seeman, and several other political figures.
One notable omission was Vijay.
At the time, people familiar with the Tamil National People's Front's internal deliberations told Jaffna Monitor that the party leadership saw little political future for the actor, who had only recently entered politics, and therefore chose not to seek a meeting with him.
Less than six months later, Vijay occupies the state's highest elected office, while the same Sri Lankan Tamil leaders have now sought his support on some of the most sensitive issues facing Tamils in Sri Lanka.
The Common Broker
Both the earlier visit to meet Mr. Stalin and other Tamil Nadu leaders, and Friday's meeting with Mr. Vijay, were facilitated by the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), led by Thol. Thirumavalavan. At the time of the earlier visit, Mr. Thirumavalavan's party was an ally of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government headed by Mr. Stalin. It is now aligned with Mr. Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
Friday's meeting was attended by VCK minister Vanniarasu, who serves in the Tamil Nadu government as Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment and Minister for Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the delegation reiterated its familiar demands, urging Mr. Vijay to back an independent international investigation into alleged atrocities against Eelam Tamils and to support a federal political settlement recognizing Tamil national sovereignty, before turning to more practical issues such as cross-border fishermen's disputes and the long-standing concerns of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in India.
