A political rift emerges as Tamil Nadu's ruling TVK party champions Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for the 2029 Prime Ministerial role, while alliance partner Congress steadfastly maintains Rahul Gandhi as its candidate.
Key Points
- TVK legislators are actively campaigning for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to be the prime ministerial candidate in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
- The Congress party firmly rejects this, reiterating its commitment to Rahul Gandhi as their undisputed Prime Ministerial candidate for 2029.
- TVK MLA Kanimozhi stated that "Delhi will not decide who becomes PM. Tamil Nadu will decide," expressing confidence in Vijay's national political impact.
- Congress leaders, including Tharahai Cuthbert, dismiss the TVK's pitch as "fan mindset" and assert that CM Vijay himself previously acknowledged Rahul Gandhi as the alliance's intended candidate.
- The debate highlights a significant internal disagreement within the alliance regarding national leadership aspirations, despite Congress being part of the TVK government.
As ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam legislators pitch Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay as their Prime Ministerial candidate, the Congress party on Wednesday dismissed it as a "fan mindset" insisting that their leader Rahul Gandhi remains their Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.
As the growing chorus within the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam pushing for party founder and Chief Minister Vijay to lead the nation in 2029 spilled over into public outside the Tamil Nadu Assembly, TVK legislator Kanimozhi asserted that Vijay is TVK's prime ministerial candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
"Delhi will not decide who becomes PM. Tamil Nadu will decide," the Kavundampalayam MLA said on Wednesday.
Pitching for Vijay's national rise, she told reporters that "he will usher in a huge change in the national politics," and Rahul Gandhi himself would support Vijay for the Prime Ministership.
She expressed confidence that everyone will witness that transformation in 2029. The support extended by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to TVK led to Vijay becoming the chief minister. Similarly, Gandhi will hold Vijay's hand, and make him sit on the PM's chair.
"What was predicted in 2025 (about TVK victory in TN), happened in 2026, so this will happen in 2029. And I am certain," she added.
Congress Rejects Vijay's PM Candidacy
Congress Legislature Party leader Tharahai Cuthbert pushed back sharply, firmly dismissing the TVK cadre's growing "Vijay for PM" campaign, clarifying that the Congress party remains unequivocally committed to Rahul Gandhi as their 2029 prime ministerial candidate.
"There is no confusion within our party or the broader alliance regarding our official position," Cuthbert told reporters outside the assembly, brushing off the pro-Vijay pitch as exuberance from newer legislators.
"The chief minister himself has previously acknowledged Rahul Gandhi as the alliance's intended candidate. Personal projections by individual MLAs do not reflect our agreed leadership strategy," Cuthbert emphasised.
Widening Divide Over National Ambitions
The spat underscores a widening divide over national ambitions, as TVK leaders increasingly pitch for Tamil Nadu representation in the country's top post, while alliance partner Congress insists that Rahul Gandhi remains the undisputed choice.
Neither the TVK party headquarters nor Vijay has formally commented on the issue. Officially, the TVK has not joined the INDIA bloc though Congress is part of the TVK government.
"CM Vijay himself has been very clear that Rahul Gandhi is the Prime Minister candidate. So, these new MLAs are still in that 'fan mindset.' They will definitely talk about their own leaders. There is no disagreement there. What they did is not wrong. So, you don't need to give room to any assumptions. It has been clearly stated for the future in 2029. Our leader, the CM, also stated that Rahul Gandhi is the prime minister," the Congress leader said.
Regional Aspirations Versus Alliance Unity
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president B Manickam Tagore, answering a question on the TVK MLA's remarks, alleged that those who have lost polls were behind the "diversionary tactic." He said that it was not possible to react to predictions of all "astrology channels."
"Its all people's verdict. People are our strength. Vijay will become PM," I Thahira, the TVK MLA from Ranipet said.
When reporters sought for his comments, Energy Resources and Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar said there was no discord between the TVK and Congress.
"People want someone from TN to become PM. A situation will naturally arise. There's no need to debate now. There's no discord between us," Kumar said.
"Did anyone predict TVK will come to power (in Tamil Nadu)? But we said our leader will become CM and it happened....there's still three years. Let's wait," the Minister added.
With Vijay firmly in the saddle due to the support of the Congress, the Left parties, VCK and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and thanks also to the cross-voting by 25 rebel All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) legislators during the floor test on May 13, TVK lawmakers have been pitching Vijay for PM for the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Vaiko, who also quit the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) alliance like the Congress and other parties had done, appealed to the TVK ministers to refrain from making such statements as Vijay was not "eyeing" PM's post.
"Rahul Gandhi is the only choice for the India bloc," the MDMK general secretary days ago told reporters in Tirunelveli.
