)
The CM received him at the airport. Last week, when Modi came to attend former President Abdul Kalam's funeral, Jayalalithaa could not receive him or attend the funeral for health reasons.
Jayalalithaa also did not attend Friday's official function and no reason was given by either the government or the ruling AIADMK, of which she is supremo.
It was on August 7, 1905, that a formal proclamation of the swadeshi movement was made at a big meeting in Calcutta. The movement involved revival of domestic products and production processes. The government has declared August 7 as National Handloom Day, in memory of the movement.
After the function, Modi drove to Jayalaithaa's Poes Garden residence. During the 50 minutes of meeting, preceding the lunch, Jayalalithaa gave a 22-page memorandum to him, seeking intervention on various issues, including on the Cauvery Management Board, inter-linking of rivers, matters related to the power, agriculture and textile sectors, fisher folk, sales and service taxes, goods and services tax (GST), 14th finance commission, central sales tax compensation, rural development, Sri Lankan issues, the jalikattu (bullfighting) ban and metro rail.
The discussion was on "issues of national concern", went an official statement.
The meeting triggered rumours, including a possible tie-up between AIADMK and BJP for the 2016 Assembly elections and on ongoing issues related to the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. With Parliament stalled, the Modi government has been unable to get some major bills passed, including the GST. The AIADMK has been extending occasional support to the Modi government in Parliament. The ruling party in Tamil Nadu is the third largest grouping in the Lok Sabha, with 37 members, and has 11 members in the Rajya Sabha, where Modi's BJP lacks numbers.
A BJP leader said, "No political meaning should be read into today's visit." Modi also visited 'Cho'Ramaswamy, editor of Tamil weekly Thuglaki. In June 2014, Modi briefly halted here on his way to Sriharikota, to witness launch of the PSLV C-23. Jayalalithaa met him at the airport.
Last week, he came to go to Rameswaram for former President Abdul Kalam’s funeral. This was his third visit and first official one to the state.
