Palaniswami meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Neet exemption for Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Even as students are restless over medical admissions, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday exerted pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking exemption for students from Tamil Nadu from appearing before Neet.

During the meeting in Parliament House, Palaniswami, who was accompanied by Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M. Thambidurai and Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan, is also understood to have discussed the merger of two factions of the AIADMK.

The meeting with Modi came a day after the camp led by Palaniswami virtually expelled T.T.V. Dhinakaran from the AIADMK, a step in the right direction for merger with the OPS faction.

Though Palaniswami maintained politics did not figure during his talks with Modi, sources said it is believed they discussed the merger and political situation in the state.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Palaniswami said he requested the Prime Minister that Tamil Nadu should exempted from Neet and reminded him about the state-specific legislations that are pending before the Union government.

"The state government has passed two bills that allows exemption for Tamil Nadu from Neet and has sent them to Union Government. During my meeting with Prime Minister, I requested him to approve these legislations to ensure that students are not affected," the Chief Minister
said.

The state government has been trying to get exemption from Neet for at least two years and had even submitted a state-specific ordinance to the Union home ministry. However, the Centre is keeping its card close to its chest on the issue.

Meanwhile, health minister C. Vijayabhaskar said a clarity on the issue of Neet and medical admissions would emerge in the next few days.