Why Chennai's Mahabalipuram Was Chosen As Venue For PM Modi - Xi Jinping's Meet? Is it an alarm for Dravidian Parties?

Its a big day for Nama Chennai, as the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take place today. This meeting will be their second informal summit between the two leaders. 

As per their itinerary, PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit some of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Tamil Nadu’s Mahabalipuram. During later part of the day, the two will also attend a cultural programme presented by Kalakshetra.

The meeting of two big leaders in Chennai has raised many eyebrows as to why PM Modi chose this city to be the venue for the meet. Many believe that by choosing Mamallapuram, PM Modi wants to send a message to other Dravidian parties in the state that the BJP is serious about Tamil Nadu, while another reason could be the town's historical connections with China.

This informal summit is a joint decision of Indian External Affairs Ministry and their Chinese counterpart. Since, PM Modi has been meeting big world leaders outside Delhi, this is also in line with it. The Dravidian parties are currently dominating the political scene while BJP is finding it difficult to set foot. After this meet, it would bring a big opportunity for PM Modi to establish himself in South India. 

Also, PM Modi and President Xi share interest in history and culture which is a bigger and better reason to visit the city. 

According to Hindustan Times report, PM Modi and President Xi will visit some of the major historical sites in Mahabalipuram, which is famous for its temples and monuments built by the Pallava dynasty in the 7th and 8th centuries. 

Meanwhile on October 12, PM Modi and President Xi will hold their second meeting between their delegations at the Fisherman’s Cove after which they will leave to their respective places. 

Other than PM Modi, the meeting will also be attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.