Kottayam, Dec 12 (NationPress) Since M.K. Stalin became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the relationship between the state and Kerala has been notably robust. On Thursday, this bond was clearly showcased as Stalin and Pinarayi Vijayan traveled together in one vehicle to a meeting location nearby.

CM Stalin, who had recently enjoyed a stay on a houseboat at the scenic Kumarakom tourist spot, arrived with CM Vijayan on Thursday morning to inaugurate the revamped memorial dedicated to social reformer and Dravidian thinker E.V. Ramasamy Periyar at Vaikom.

The event venue features a statue of Periyar, a museum, and a library, all of which the two leaders explored together.

During the event, CM Vijayan remarked that the attendance of CM Stalin added considerable importance to the occasion.

“Periyar was a pioneer in advocating for the upliftment of the marginalized and oppressed. He believed that Congress leaders failed to support the downtrodden. His affinity for Communism was evident, as he maintained close ties with Communist leaders in Tamil Nadu,” Vijayan stated, emphasizing that Periyar's ideologies remain pertinent today.

CM Stalin also expressed deep respect for Periyar and the movement he championed, extending his gratitude to the Vijayan administration for orchestrating the event.

The significance of the newly forged camaraderie at the highest levels between the two Chief Ministers was underscored by the presence of numerous dignitaries, including Kerala Ministers V.N. Vasavan and Saji Cheriyan, along with Tamil Nadu Ministers Durai Murugan, E.V. Velu, and M.P. Saminathan, in addition to senior officials and the Chief Secretaries of both states.

This marks not the first occasion on which the two CMs have shared a platform; previously, Stalin attended the 23rd CPI-M Party Congress held in Vijayan's stronghold of Kannur two years ago.

Vijayan has also traveled to Tamil Nadu frequently in the past, often for routine medical check-ups at a well-known private hospital there.