Union Home Minister Amit Shah met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay in Chennai on Wednesday, ahead of the 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council scheduled to take place in Kovalam, Chengalpattu, on Thursday.
The meeting between Shah and Vijay was described by officials as a courtesy interaction. It was their first meeting since Vijay took charge as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister earlier this year. Shah also shared a photograph of the meeting on social media.
The Southern Zonal Council meeting, chaired by Amit Shah, brings together representatives from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, along with the Union Territories of Puducherry, Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Several important issues involving coordination between the Centre and southern states are expected to be discussed during the meeting. These include inter-state water-sharing disputes, regional development, education and other matters requiring cooperation between states and the Union government.
The gathering comes at a politically significant time, with several issues affecting Centre-state relations and cooperation among southern states expected to feature in the discussions.
Amit Shah will chair the deliberations, while Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay is the Vice-Chairman of the Southern Zonal Council. Chief ministers and senior representatives from the participating states and Union Territories are attending the meeting.
The meeting is expected to provide a platform for the states and the Centre to discuss long-pending issues and explore ways to improve inter-state coordination and regional development.
