Published Jun 28, 2026 | 2:19 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 28, 2026 | 2:39 PM
CPI.
Synopsis: The Tamil Nadu unit of the CPI urged Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to reconsider the appointment of Venkat K Narayana as the state government’s Special Representative in Delhi. It said the people of Tamil Nadu would not accept a person lacking an adequate understanding of the state representing its interests in the national capital.
The Tamil Nadu unit of the CPI on Sunday, 28 June, urged Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to reconsider the appointment of Venkat K Narayana as the state government’s Special Representative in Delhi.
In a statement issued by the party’s State Executive Committee, CPI said the appointment triggered widespread debate and criticism in Tamil Nadu, particularly because Narayana is seen as a Bengaluru-based businessman with political influence in Karnataka.
The party argued that the role of Tamil Nadu’s Special Representative in Delhi requires a person with a deep understanding of the state’s political, economic and social conditions, along with familiarity with Tamil Nadu’s culture, literature and social fabric.
Narayana, the founder of Bengaluru-based KVN Productions, produced Chief Minister Vijay’s yet-to-be-released movie Jana Nayagan.
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Stating that the people of Tamil Nadu would not accept a person who lacks an adequate understanding of the state representing its interests in the national capital, CPI urged the chief minister to review the appointment and nominate a more suitable representative.
In a notification issued on 23 June, the state government had said Narayana has been appointed as Tamil Nadu’s Special Representative in New Delhi for one year, effective “from the date on which the appointee takes charge or till the need for it ceases, whichever is earlier”.
The notification said the terms and conditions of the appointment would be announced later. Special Representatives are normally appointed to liaise with the central government ministries.
Narayana’s appointment has brought interstate conflict to the fore. Opposition parties questioned the appointment at a time when Tamil Nadu has been locked in a water dispute with Karnataka.
Previous governments, too, had appointed veteran politicians from the ruling party as Special Representatives. Narayana, however, lacks a proven political track record.
Special Representatives are appointed despite states having a senior government official as liaison officer in the national capital. Tamil Nadu has a separate Liaison Wing in Tamil Nadu House. The wing also plays a similar role.
(With inputs from Subash Chandra Bose.)
