Tiruchirapalli: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said actor Vijayakanth, who founded Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), put national interest above everything.
Paying tribute to the actor who died on 28 December in Chennai, PM Modi said in Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirapalli that Vijayakanth won the hearts of people through his work in cinema.
‘Just a few days ago, we lost Thiru Vijayakanth ji. He was a captain not only in the world of cinema, but also in politics. He won the hearts of people through his work in cinema. As a politician, he always put national interest above everything. I pay my tributes to him and express condolences to his family and admirers,’ he was quoted as saying.
The Prime Minister's tribute to Vijayakanth drew loud cheers from people thronged at the venue.
During his two-day visit to Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister has inaugurated projects worth nearly ₹ 20,000 crore alongside opening the new terminal at Trichy airport.
Earlier, PM Modi was the chief guest for the convocation event at Bharathidasan University in Tiruchirapalli.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin shared stage with PM Modi at both events drawing attention from across political spectrum of the state.
Stalin is a vocal critic of Modi administration alongside being the key partner of the Opposition’s the INDIA bloc.
Vijayakanth, who died after battling a long illness, was popularly known as 'Captain' for his role in 1991 movie ‘Captain Prabhakaran’.