5 min learnChennaiSep 7, 2026 08:32 AM IST
First printed on: Sep 6, 2026 at 08:59 PM IST
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has referred to as its post-poll companions to a September 9 assembly to debate formalising their alliance, because the Congress confronts one other proposition from inside the ruling social gathering: projecting the brand new CM as a possible prime ministerial face in future.
The TVK authorities is barely three months previous. However remarks selling Vijay for the nation’s highest political workplace have prompted Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Manickam Tagore to repeatedly assert his social gathering’s alternative for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections: Rahul Gandhi.
“The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee could be very clear. Our candidate is Rahul Gandhi. There isn’t a doubt about that,” Tagore instructed reporters, whereas confirming that Congress would attend the September 9 assembly.
AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal on Sunday echoed Tagore’s views. “No person ought to create any such confusion. Rahul Gandhi would be the face of the INDIA alliance (in 2029)… The INDIA alliance is shifting ahead. There are some points in a number of states the place they’re competing towards one another. In any other case, it’s the INDIA alliance itself that’s shifting ahead. That’s the reality,” Venugopal stated.
In the meantime, the assembly of the ruling coalition referred to as by the TVK, which will probably be held on the social gathering’s workplace, will comply with the conclusion of the Meeting’s Budget session. Will probably be the second assembly of the events supporting the Vijay authorities, after their discussions held at a resort in Kovalam on July 1.
The primary assembly envisaged a coordination committee, a standard minimal programme and a reputation for the brand new alliance formation.
Tagore stated the alliance’s title is to be determined and introduced on the forthcoming assembly. “So far as we’re involved, the intention is to offer this alliance a reputation and take it ahead to a very good place,” he stated. The formation, he added, should be primarily based on secularism and social justice and arrive at a standard place on Tamil Nadu’s points.
Requested about Vijay being projected as a first-rate ministerial candidate, Tagore sought to shut the topic. “This can be a story that’s over, all proper? There isn’t a have to maintain bringing this up repeatedly,” he stated. “So far as we’re involved, Vijay needs to be Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister.”
Tagore stated Vijay has simply begun finishing up the duties entrusted to him by voters. He accused sections of the media of in search of to create divisions inside the secular alliances.
“In Tamil Nadu, we are going to take this ahead clearly below Vijay’s management,” he stated, whereas sustaining that Rahul Gandhi would lead nationally.
His earlier response to comparable questions had been sharper. Requested a couple of minister’s description of Vijay as “At this time’s CM, tomorrow’s PM,” Tagore stated: “They’re all in fan mode. Nicely, you can not change people who find themselves in fan mode.”
He additionally drew a distinction between the state association and the nationwide Opposition bloc. “As soon as TVK has MPs, we are going to ask TVK to hitch the INDIA alliance,” he stated. “We can not maintain saying, ‘Come, come,’ to those that do not need MPs.”
In these earlier remarks, Tagore reminded the TVK ministers of the Congress’s function in enabling Vijay to type his authorities. He stated Vijay had first referred to as Gandhi to hunt help. “Congress’s help got here first, enabling all of them to grow to be ministers,” he stated.
However, he left Vijay room to reply later: “Vijay will make the suitable choice on the proper time. He all the time speaks little or no. I believe he’ll communicate when it’s time to communicate.”
The TVK ministers have in the meantime begun inviting the events supporting the federal government. N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, Nirmal Kumar and Rajmohan met the leaders of the CPI(M), CPI and MDMK.
The 2 Left events stayed away from the July assembly, saying they supported the federal government from exterior and weren’t alliance members.
CPI secretary M Veerapandian stated inside consultations would decide the social gathering’s response to the invitation. He reiterated that it could not be part of the Cupboard. MDMK chief Vaiko confirmed his participation.
The outreach additionally introduced an apology over official circulars regarding Left social gathering members and scholar protests. Nirmal Kumar stated officers had issued them with out the federal government’s data and guaranteed the Left leaders that such incidents wouldn’t recur.
The July assembly was attended by leaders of Congress, the Indian Union Muslim League, MDMK and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, alongside Vijay. A proper alliance was not introduced then.
Tagore described the September 9 gathering as a follow-up to the Kovalam assembly. He reaffirmed the social gathering’s participation in it, declining to elaborate additional on the nationwide management query.
