Vaiko Backs Rahul Gandhi for PM, Rules Out Vijay
MDMK general secretary Vaiko has said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay is not in the race for Prime Minister and backed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as the only choice for the INDIA bloc’s prime ministerial candidate in the 2029 Lok Sabha election.
Vaiko Backs Rahul Gandhi for Prime Minister
Speaking to reporters in Tirunelveli, Vaiko said Vijay had not indicated any ambition to become Prime Minister and urged TVK ministers to avoid making statements projecting him for the post.
Vaiko argued that because Congress leads the INDIA bloc, Rahul Gandhi should be its candidate for Prime Minister in 2029.
His remarks come amid growing debate within the TVK-Congress alliance over its national leadership strategy ahead of the next general election.
Vijay PM Debate Tests TVK-Congress Alliance
The controversy intensified after Tamil Nadu minister S. Rajesh Kumar said Congress ministers would quit Vijay’s Cabinet if the TVK refused to accept Rahul Gandhi as the alliance’s prime ministerial candidate.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Manickam Tagore subsequently met Vijay at the Secretariat as speculation over the coalition’s position continued.
Vijay himself has not formally announced that he intends to seek the Prime Minister’s post in 2029.
Vaiko Praises Vijay Government
Despite rejecting speculation about Vijay’s national ambitions, Vaiko praised the TVK-led Tamil Nadu government and claimed it was providing corruption-free governance.
He also alleged that some senior officials associated with corruption during previous governments were not cooperating with the Vijay administration and called for action against them.
The dispute over the 2029 leadership question could become an early political test for the state’s ruling alliance as Congress continues to project Rahul Gandhi nationally while sections of the TVK promote Vijay’s wider political appeal.
