Stalin’s absence dominates Modi’s TN visit as ‘apolitical’ farming summit turns political

The conspicuous absence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin dominated the political undercurrents surrounding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Coimbatore visit on Wednesday. Stalin neither received the prime minister at the airport nor attended the inauguration of the three-day South India Natural Farming Summit 2025, drawing attention even as the event aimed to spotlight sustainable agriculture.

Also read | India to become global natural farming hub, says PM Modi

Modi inaugurated the summit at the CODISSIA grounds, an event organised by farmers’ associations to promote chemical-free, regenerative agriculture in the tradition of late organic farming pioneer G Nammalvar. The prime minister also released the 21st instalment of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi scheme, transferring over Rs 18,000 crore directly to around 9 crore farmers nationwide, and honoured exemplary natural farmers.

‘Apolitical’ event, political fallout

Traditionally, Tamil Nadu chief ministers personally welcome the prime minister during visits, barring unavoidable scheduling conflicts. This time, however, Stalin stayed away, citing “prior commitments and workload,” as explained by state minister PK Sekar Babu. Opposition parties were quick to highlight the snub, but the real story lies with the event organisers themselves.

At Coimbatore airport, the prime minister was received by Governor Ravi and AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami. On behalf of the DMK government, TN Minister Vellakovil Swaminathan welcomed him.

PR Pandian, coordinator of the summit and a prominent farmers’ leader, bluntly told The Federal that no chief minister, including Stalin, was extended a formal invitation. “This is purely a farmers' conference, completely apolitical. We did not send special invites to any state chief minister,” he asserted, emphasising alignment with central schemes like Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP). When pressed on why the Tamil Nadu CM was overlooked even nominally, Pandian did not mince words: “What has the Stalin government done for farmers that we should invite him as a special guest? In Tiruvannamalai’s Cheyyar region, protesting farmers opposing land acquisition for a SIPCOT industrial project were arrested under the Goondas Act during this DMK rule. How can we invite a chief minister whose government treats farmers in this manner?”

Pandian, who has previously led agitations against the now-repealed farm laws, defended the PM’s participation: “We protested policies when needed, but we also have the right to place demands directly before the prime minister.”

Organic claims under scrutiny

Despite organisers insisting the summit was “beyond politics,” the speeches carried unmistakable partisan tones: Pandian profusely thanked PM Modi for the PM-KISAN funds and credited him personally for the return of Jallikattu. He praised Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi as a “strong supporter of farmers” and urged that Bharat Ratna be conferred on Nammalvar.

In his speech, Prime Minister Modi enthusiastically praised Tamil Nadu, claiming nearly 35,000 hectares are now under organic and natural farming, thanks to the Centre’s new mission. He portrayed the state as a success story in chemical-free agriculture for the South. However, the actual certified organic area in Tamil Nadu is only around 42,000 hectares, keeping it outside the national top 10. Even the state’s own 2023 Organic Farming Policy ranked it 14th with just 31,629 hectares.

In contrast, Madhya Pradesh alone has over 15 lakh hectares, almost forty times more, while Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Karnataka dominate India’s nearly one crore hectares of organic land. Tamil Nadu’s heavy dependence on chemical-intensive paddy and sugarcane cultivation, plus high pesticide residues in the Cauvery delta, has made the shift to full organic farming extremely slow.

Political undercurrents run deep

In his address, Modi indirectly referenced the recent Bihar election victory, where the NDA emerged victorious, saying farmers waving gamchhas on stage made him feel “the breeze of Bihar is blowing here too.”

Sources close to the event organisers claim Governor Ravi played a key role in conceptualising the summit, while BJP state vice-president KP Ramalingam handled much of the coordination, adding to perceptions of central-BJP involvement in what was billed as a “farmers-only” affair. “The BJP is trying to create a separate agrarian group which may be used to fight against the local DMK government,” DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan told The Federal.

Elangovan also slammed Pandian for not standing up for the farmers' issue. “Many farmers led by Ayyakannu, a farmer union leader who is known for unique forms of protests, were not allowed to reach Delhi for a protest, but Pandian praised the PM at Coimbatore.”

“Pandian claimed it wasn’t a political event, yet the prime minister himself spoke politics. If he says the ‘Bihar wind is blowing’, what else is that but politics?” remarked DMK’s Elangovan. However, no matter how much the BJP tries to clash or confront, they cannot do anything to the DMK, he stated.

Centre-state friction deepens

The fresh war of words comes amid simmering tension between the ruling DMK and the BJP, even as a massive paddy procurement crisis grips Tamil Nadu's Cauvery delta following a record kharif harvest and Northeast monsoon rains. With procurement surging to over 14 lakh tonnes by mid-November 2025, nearly triple last year’s figure, farmers face sprouting paddy stacks exposed to rains due to storage shortages and transport delays.

Also read | In relief for TN farmers, Centre likely to ease paddy moisture cap

Chief Minister Stalin has urged Prime Minister Modi to relax central moisture norms (from 17% to 22%) and raise Tamil Nadu's procurement ceiling beyond 16 lakh tonnes to avert distress sales. The BJP has slammed the DMK for “mismanagement, corruption at DPCs, and failure to anticipate the bumper crop,” turning the farmers’ plight into a fierce political battleground ahead of the 2026 polls.

Unusually, the prime minister's Tamil Nadu visit generated little buzz on X (formerly Twitter) from DMK cadres, no trending welcomes or criticisms, a departure from past visits dominated by partisan hashtags.

As the summit continues until November 21 with exhibitions, scientist-farmer interactions, and policy discussions, one question lingers: Was this truly an “apolitical” farmers’ meet, or a carefully crafted platform blending agrarian outreach with political messaging ahead of future electoral battles in Tamil Nadu? For now, the absence of an invitation to CM Stalin and the pointed reasons given have turned a natural farming conference into the latest chapter of Centre-state friction.