Union Home Minister Amit Shah is chairing the 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council, bringing together leaders from the five southern states to discuss interstate disputes, Centre-state relations and regional cooperation.

Ahead of the meeting, Amit Shah met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay in Chennai. The meeting comes amid several contentious issues between southern states, including the Cauvery water-sharing dispute and the proposed Mekedatu dam project involving Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The Southern Zonal Council includes Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, along with the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.

Amit Shah Meets Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Ahead Of Southern Zonal Council Meet

A fresh political controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu after AIADMK leader RB Udhayakumar took a swipe at Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, making a sarcastic remark about actor Trisha Krishnan and her possible appointment as Deputy Chief Minister.

Udhayakumar alleged that the TVK government is appointing people closely associated with Vijay, including individuals with connections to the film industry, to government positions. He cited several appointments before making the remark involving Trisha.

Trisha has not directly responded to the political comments but shared a cryptic social media post about the “drama” surrounding the controversy.

The remarks have also triggered a reaction from Trisha’s fan clubs, with posters reportedly appearing in Madurai condemning the AIADMK leader. The controversy comes amid heightened political activity surrounding Vijay and the TVK ahead of Tamil Nadu’s evolving political landscape.

Tamil Nadu Political Storm: AIADMK Leader Takes Swipe at Vijay Over Trisha Krishnan Remark 

The Tamil Nadu Assembly has passed a resolution opposing delimitation, urging the Union government to permanently retain the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats based on the population figures of the 1971 Census.

The resolution, moved by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, received support from the DMK, despite the party previously skipping Vijay’s all-party meeting on delimitation.

Vijay also called for the immediate implementation of 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies, arguing that the quota should be calculated on the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats.

The Tamil Nadu government has also taken strong positions on several other issues, including NEET, the proposed FCRA amendments, and the state’s anti-drug campaign.

Vijay Leads Tamil Nadu’s Delimitation Push | Assembly Seeks 543 Lok Sabha Seats

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has defended his proposal for direct talks with Karnataka over the Cauvery water dispute, saying he is prepared to face "humiliation" if dialogue helps safeguard Tamil Nadu's interests.

The remarks came during a heated exchange in the Tamil Nadu Assembly with Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin over the contentious Mekedatu dam project. Udhayanidhi questioned Vijay's decision to engage directly with Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and asked whether an all-party meeting would be convened on the issue.

Vijay responded by asserting that his government would never compromise on Tamil Nadu's rights over Cauvery waters and urged political parties not to politicize the long-standing interstate dispute. The confrontation marks the first direct face-off between the two leaders since Udhayanidhi Stalin's arrest over his controversial remarks against actor Trisha.

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Defends Karnataka Talks Over Cauvery Dispute, Clashes With Udhayanidhi Stalin