Rahul Gandhi meets Vijay in Chennai: Political talks, cappuccino and tiramisu — here's what was on the menu

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is currently in Chennai for the Chhatron Ki Goonj event. Ahead of his scheduled event, LoP met CM Vijay in the city.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met TVK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay at his residence on Saturday ahead of the Chhatron Ki Goonj event. The two leaders had a meeting for about an hour and discussed several political issues, cited sources as per PTI.

Menu for Rahul Gandhi and Vijay in Chennai

Gandhi and Vijay went to a cafe, Bask by Coffee. At the popular eatery, the two held talks over a menu which included Cappuccino, Tiramisu, cookies and coffee.

Several pictures from their meet have now emerged online. The two shared a warm hug. CM Vijay welcomed Gandhi with a bouquet of flowers.

The cafe is located in the plush neighbourhood of Neelankarai and close to the beach near the East Coast Road.

After concluding the meeting, Rahul Gandhi went to a hotel.

Rahul Gandhi's itinerary in Chennai

According to his itinerary, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha would travel to the Island Grounds to attend the youth outreach programme, 'Chhatron Ki Goonj,' (Maanavargalin Kural).

Talking about the event, earlier Congress MP Manickam Tagore said that over one lakh students are expected to attend the event, which requires pre-registration.

Entry at the event would only be permitted to students with QR-code registrations. Reportedly, additional selection criteria had been put in place for Chhatron Ki Goonj.

“This time he's coming for a student interaction program in Tamil Nadu, where tonight in the evening he's going to address the students of Tamil Nadu. More than a lakh students, one lakh students have registered on the online QR code registration. Without a QR code, we are not going to allow anybody. And there are restrictions we have put on those selection processes also, who are going to be the students who are going to be entering here,” Tagore said, as quoted by ANI.

Why is LoP in Chennai

Rahul Gandhi is currently in Chennai for the next chapter of Chhatron ki Goonj. This marks the sixth chapter of his nationwide campaign, launched by the Congress. It aims to interact with students across the country and understand the ongoing issues being faced by the youth. The campaign kick-started on June 17, starting with Kota, Rajasthan.

After Kota, Gandhi took the student outreach program to Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The third leg of Gandhi's campaign was observed in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.

The Congress extended the event to Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and is set to hold it in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Chhatron Ki Goonj was launched by Congress leaders earlier this year. It claims to provide a platform for students to talk about concerns related to examination irregularities, paper leaks, rising education costs, recruitment issues and unemployment.

About the Author

Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.