When Joseph Met Stalin: Handshake And A Warm Hug After Bitter Tamil Nadu Poll Campaign

Last Updated:May 11, 2026, 16:07 IST

Tamil Nadu CM C Joseph Vijay paid a courtesy visit to former CM and DMK chief M K Stalin in Chennai. Udhayanidhi Stalin was also present at the meeting.

A day after being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C Joseph Vijay on Monday paid a courtesy visit to his predecessor and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK Stalin at his residence in Chennai.

The meeting was marked by warmth and political civility as both leaders set aside their rivalry following the high-stakes Assembly elections that brought Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), to power.

Watch The Video Here

Visuals have emerged from Stalin’s residence, showing the duo exchanging a warm embrace. The video further showed Vijay warmly greeting DMK leader and ex-CM’s son, Udhayanidhi Stalin at the entrance with a hug before removing his footwear as he entered the house.

Stalin later welcomed Vijay with an embrace and was seen holding his hand as he escorted him inside, highlighting the cordial atmosphere between the leaders despite their political rivalry. Dressed in a black suit, Vijay greeted the DMK leader with folded hands, with Stalin reciprocating the gesture warmly.

Congress MP Praises Vijay For Visiting Stalin

The meeting was described as a traditional courtesy call made by a newly sworn-in Chief Minister to a former incumbent. The interaction drew praise from Congress MP Manickam Tagore who described Vijay’s visit as a “decent and mature political gesture."

The Congress MP added that “an era of change begins when leaders choose civility over hatred and dialogue over division," saying Tamil Nadu continues to demonstrate how democratic culture should function.

In a post on X, Tagore wrote, “Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Thiru Vijay visiting former Chief Minister Thiru M.K. Stalin is a very decent and mature political gesture. This is the politics people expect respect beyond rivalry, dignity beyond power."

“An era of change begins when leaders choose civility over hatred and dialogue over division. Tamil Nadu continues to show India how democratic culture must function," congress leader and Tamil Nadu MP Manickam Tagore tweeted," he added.

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