The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has reaffirmed party chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s claim to the Prime Ministerial post ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, directly contradicting Congress’ assertion that Vijay has agreed to back Rahul Gandhi.
TVK MLA Kanimozhi said on Wednesday that Vijay remains the party’s preferred candidate for Prime Minister, insisting that Tamil Nadu, rather than Delhi, would play a decisive role in determining the country’s next leader.
“Vijay is the PM candidate for 2029. Delhi will not decide who will be the PM. Tamil Nadu will decide. There will be some magic in 2029. Rahul Gandhi himself will make Vijay the Prime Minister,” she said.
Congress Backs Rahul Gandhi
Kanimozhi’s remarks came after Congress Legislature Party leader Tharahai Cuthbert claimed that Vijay had chosen Rahul Gandhi as the alliance’s Prime Ministerial candidate.
Cuthbert dismissed reports of a leadership dispute between the Congress and TVK, saying that the projection of Vijay as a potential Prime Minister was driven by enthusiasm among TVK cadres rather than an official decision by the party leadership.
“The CM has chosen Rahul Gandhi as the PM candidate. That is how he is proceeding,” she said on Monday.
Leadership Row Gains Momentum
The competing claims have intensified speculation over the alliance’s leadership ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.
Cuthbert’s statement followed remarks by Tamil Nadu Tourism Minister S Rajesh Kumar, who said Congress ministers in the state Cabinet would resign if TVK refused to support Rahul Gandhi for Prime Minister.
Speaking in Kanyakumari on Saturday, Kumar said Rahul Gandhi would become Prime Minister in 2029.
At the same time, TVK leaders have been advocating a larger national role for Vijay. Party PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna had earlier said the country’s highest constitutional office should be held by a leader from Tamil Nadu.
Vijay-Rahul Equation Under Spotlight
The latest exchange has brought the political equation between Vijay and Rahul Gandhi into focus as both names are now being floated by different sections of the alliance for the 2029 top job. The two leaders had appeared politically close following the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Vijay subsequently thanked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and referred to Rahul Gandhi as his “brother”, while acknowledging Congress’ support for his government.
TVK was founded in 2024 and, according to the figures cited in the report, won 108 of Tamil Nadu’s 234 Assembly seats in its first election before forming the government with Congress and other allies. With Congress backing Rahul Gandhi and TVK continuing to project Vijay, the question of the alliance’s potential Prime Ministerial face is emerging as a key issue well ahead of the 2029 general election.
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