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A fresh political dispute has emerged between the Congress and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Tamil Nadu over who should be projected as the prime ministerial candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

Tourism Minister and Congress leader S Rajesh Kumar has warned that he and fellow minister P Viswanathan, who holds the higher education portfolio, are prepared to resign from the state cabinet if TVK does not support Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate.

Speaking at the assumption-of-office ceremony of George Robinson, who took charge as president of the Kanyakumari West District Congress Committee, Rajesh Kumar asked TVK to make its position on the prime ministerial candidate clear.

He also stressed that the Congress would support only Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha elections.

Rahul Gandhi Or Vijay? Congress Seeks Clarity

The dispute comes amid growing demands from TVK ministers, legislators and members to project party chief C Joseph Vijay as the prime ministerial candidate for the next general election.

Rajesh Kumar said that if the alliance partner did not support the Congress on the issue, he and Viswanathan would be ready to step down from their ministerial positions.

The Congress leader’s warning could put further strain on ties between the two parties, which currently share power in Tamil Nadu.

Vijay Gains Visibility As Possible PM Candidate

Posters portraying Vijay as a potential prime ministerial candidate have appeared at several public places across Tamil Nadu.

Vijay has also featured prominently in public discussion over a possible 2029 contest for the top political post. A recent India Today-C Voter survey placed him third among potential prime ministerial candidates, with 9% support.

The growing speculation around Vijay’s national ambitions has now brought the issue into sharper focus within the alliance, with Congress insisting that its support will remain with Rahul Gandhi.

Congress Support Helped Vijay Form Government

Vijay formed the government in Tamil Nadu in May with the support of the Congress, which also joined the state cabinet.

The arrangement, however, angered MK Stalin’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which accused the Congress of betraying the alliance. The Congress and DMK had contested the election together before Vijay’s TVK emerged as the dominant force.

Following the election, the Congress announced its support for Vijay, paving the way for his government with the party’s backing.

Rajesh Kumar’s latest remarks have now opened a fresh front within the ruling alliance, with the question of the 2029 prime ministerial candidate emerging as a potential point of confrontation between Congress and TVK.