(from left) CPI State general secretary M. Veerapandian and CPI(M) State general secretary P. Shanmugam. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
Leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India, headed by the parties’ State secretaries P. Shanmugam and M. Veerapandian, respectively, on Wednesday (July 1, 2026), met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay at the Secretariat in Chennai and urged him to prioritise the demands of farmers, agricultural labourers, construction and industrial workers.Speaking to reporters after meeting the Chief Minister, Mr. Shanmugam said it was a courtesy call as this was the first time they had met Mr. Vijay after he assumed office as Chief Minister. He said they brought to the attention of the Chief Minister issues related to unemployment, existing vacancies in educational institutions, and the creation of new jobs and sought the immediate intervention of the Chief Minister in the alleged irregularities in the examination conducted by the Teachers Recruitment Board.Welcoming the formation of the ‘Singappen Special Force’ to prevent crimes against women, Mr. Shanmugam said the special force personnel should be given training and sensitisation on crimes against women and children.He also said the State government was yet to frame the rules for the Labour Code. While doing so, the State government should hold a consultative meeting with all trade union leaders. He said the Chief Minister had assured them that he would look into these issues and told them that they could voice their demands to the government at any time.‘All-party meeting should have been convened’According to Mr. Shanmugam, a difference of opinion had arisen in Tamil Nadu for the first time among political parties and farmers’ organisations regarding the Cauvery issue due to the resolution brought by the State government in the Assembly against the Karnataka government’s proposal to construct a balancing reservoir at Mekedatu which demanded the formation of a tribunal in this regard.He said there was no consensus on the issue of the constitution of a fresh tribunal. The State government, before tabling such a resolution in the Assembly, should have called an all-party meeting to take the issue forward. “Nevertheless, the State government should call a meeting of all political parties and farmers’ organisations to arrive at a consensus on the issue,” he said.To a question on the Left parties skipping the alliance partners’ meeting called by the TVK, Mr. Shanmugam said the Left parties had already extended outside support to the TVK to form the government. “The support of the Left parties to the government would continue even though we are not participating in the meeting,” he added. Published - July 01, 2026 03:08 pm IST
