PM Modi reveals what he missed out on during years as CM & PM; regrets not learning Tamil

Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed that he regretted not learning Tamil during his years as Gujarat CM and now as India's PM and went on to hail Tamil literature. PM Modi expressed his regret over not learning Tamil in the run-up to Sunday's Mann Ki Baat programme when he was asked if there was anything he missed out on during his stint as a politician. Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said that he felt 'regret of sorts' to have not learnt the world's oldest language Tamil and went on to hail Tamil literature as beautiful. PM Modi, however, is known to make references to Tamil poets such as Thiruvalluvar, Subramanya Bharti, Avvayar and others during his speeches at various occasions, irrespective of addressing the nation or a region.  

READ | TN BJP Files Plaint Against Actor's #GoBackModi Post; Claims India's Sovereignty Targeted

PM Modi's southern sojourn

PM Modi's three-hour visit to Chennai on 14 February included laying foundation stones and inaugurating various projects at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. PM Modi inaugurated the Discovery Campus of Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), located at Thaiyur near Chennai, to accommodate the growing research infrastructure requirements of students and faculty. Earlier, PM Modi also handed over the Main Battle Tank Arjun Mark 1A  to the Indian Army and dedicated it to the nation. Following his visit to Chennai, PM Modi proceeded to Kerala's Kochi. 

READ | Tamil Nadu Governor Gives Assent To Bill For 10.5% Internal Reservation To Vanniyars

Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2021

The two warring factions in AIADMK - of Deputy CM O Pannerselvam (OPS) and CM E Palaniswamy (EPS), reconciled after the party named incumbent E Palaniswamy as its CM candidate and O Panneerselvam as the chief of the 11-member steering committee. With AIADMK announcing it will continue its national alliance with BJP, the saffron party is yet to officially announce its state-level alliance. Meanwhile, ex-CM Karunanidhi's successor - DMK chief MK Stalin eyes his maiden CM term as DMK cannot afford to lose a third straight Assembly election after sweeping the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with 38 seats. Kamal Haasan's MNM has initiated alliance talks with Arvind Kejriwal's AAP while AIMIM's Owaisi has also expressed interest to fight polls in the southern state. Erstwhile AIADMK ally Samathuva Makkal Katchi, headed by actor R Sarathkumar, joined hands with joins hands with SRM Group Paarivendhar's Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi to fight the upcoming polls.

The Tamil Nadu and Puducherry elections will take place on April 6 in a single phase each, with the results to be announced on May 2.

READ | PM Modi Inaugurates Oil & Gas Projects In Tamil Nadu, Points Out India's Import Dependence

READ | PM Modi To Visit Kerala And Tamil Nadu On February 14 As Countdown To Elections Winds Down