Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay’s four-day visit to London has triggered a political controversy, with Opposition parties questioning whether the trip is primarily aimed at attracting investments to the state or whether it has also included personal engagements.
Vijay is currently in London, where he is expected to meet business leaders and explore investment opportunities for Tamil Nadu. However, photographs showing the Chief Minister with actor Trisha Krishnan at actor Ajith Kumar’s Le Mans Cup event at the Silverstone Circuit have added fuel to the political debate.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and BJP Tamil Nadu president Nainar Nagendran have sought details about the purpose of Vijay’s visit, the people accompanying him, the use of government funds and the investments he is seeking for the state.
Palaniswami said he had initially welcomed Vijay’s decision to travel abroad within 100 days of becoming Chief Minister, particularly if the objective was to attract investments and create employment opportunities. But after photographs from Silverstone surfaced, he took a sarcastic swipe at the Chief Minister.
“The picture is different in the media,” Palaniswami said, adding, “See how he is attracting investments.”
Nagendran, meanwhile, questioned whether Vijay’s London visit was an official government trip or a personal one. He also sought clarity on who had accompanied the Chief Minister and whether public money was being used for the journey.
The BJP leader questioned how many meetings could realistically be held during a four-day visit and asked what concrete investment commitments had emerged from the trip. He said Vijay should provide details after returning to Tamil Nadu.
“If it is a personal trip, there is nothing to say. But if he has gone to attract investments, he should explain whom he met and how much investment is expected,” Nagendran said.
The controversy has also provided an opportunity for the DMK to target the Vijay government over issues at home. DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin criticised the administration over alleged power shortages, electricity problems and law-and-order concerns. He also launched a sharp attack on Vijay’s leadership.
DMK leader TKS Elangovan separately questioned the composition of Vijay’s delegation, pointing to the absence of senior Industries Department officials. He claimed that neither the Industries Minister nor the department secretary had accompanied the Chief Minister and questioned the absence of a formally announced schedule.
At the same time, Vijay’s appearance at Silverstone has reportedly been linked to Tamil Nadu’s proposed Motor Sports City. The delegation is said to have examined the circuit’s infrastructure, safety systems and commercial operations, potentially providing a development angle to the visit beyond the political controversy.
Neither Vijay nor his TVK party had officially responded to the Opposition’s criticism of the London visit at the time of publication.
