Chidambaram calls on Vijay

Chennai: Former Union finance minister P Chidambaram called on chief minister C Joseph Vijay in secretariat on Tuesday.

A senior TNCC functionary, close to Chidambaram, said it was a courtesy visit. “It was Chidambaram’s first meeting with Vijay after he became the chief minister. It was entirely a courtesy meeting,” the senior functionary said on request of anonymity. The meeting which lasted for about 20 minutes, comes in the backdrop of the election for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Tamil Nadu. Congress leaders said the meet had nothing to do with the RS elections.

``Vijay wanted to meet Chidambaram after becoming CM. Since the meeting could not be arranged back then, Chidambaram called on him now,’’ said a Congress leader.

Chidambaram played a key role in Congress continuing its ties with DMK when a section of Congress leaders wanted to part ways and ally with TVK.