Congress warns Tamil Nadu govt over Rahul Gandhi PM push vs Vijay

Congress ministers from Tamil Nadu have warned that they will resign from the state cabinet if the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) does not accept Rahul Gandhi as the Indian National Congress’s candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The announcement was made by Tamil Nadu Tourism Minister S Rajesh Kumar at a public event on Saturday, underscoring the party’s insistence that only Gandhi can lead the Congress in the next general election.

Kumar told reporters that the two Congress ministers would step down from the state cabinet if the TVK fails to back Gandhi for the 2029 elections. “The party will not compromise on its stand,” he said. “Rahul Gandhi is the only candidate the Congress would support in the Lok Sabha elections.” He added that the party would withdraw its support from the state government if the TVK continues to push Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay as the next prime ministerial candidate.

The TVK, which won 108 seats in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, has been promoting Vijay as a national leader capable of heading the country in 2029. Senior TVK leader KA Sengottaiyan said, “People from north Indian states are also looking forward to our leader Vijay; he is the one who has the power to rule the entire India.” He compared Vijay’s potential to that of former Tamil Nadu leaders MGR and Jayalalithaa, calling him a force that could lead both the state and the nation.

The push for Vijay has drawn sharp rebuke from Tamil Nadu Congress leaders. State Congress president and MP B Manickam Tagore warned that the TVK was still operating in “fan‑club mode.” “You cannot silence people who are in the fan‑club mode,” Tagore said. He reiterated that the Congress would not accept a candidate other than Rahul Gandhi for the national election.

The coalition that governs Tamil Nadu was formed after the 2026 assembly elections. The newly formed TVK government was supported by the VCK, IUML, CPI, and CPI(M), along with the Congress. The alliance has since been working on a shared agenda, but the disagreement over the prime ministerial candidate threatens to strain the partnership.

If the Congress ministers resign, it could trigger a political crisis in Tamil Nadu and undermine the stability of the state government. The move also signals a broader conflict within the Congress, as the party’s central leadership has been trying to balance regional preferences with national strategy. The Congress has historically relied on strong regional leaders to secure votes, but it has also maintained a policy of endorsing a single candidate for the prime ministerial contest.

The TVK’s insistence on Vijay could be interpreted as an attempt to cement its influence beyond Tamil Nadu. However, the Congress’s threat to resign underscores the party’s commitment to Rahul Gandhi’s candidacy and its reluctance to compromise on the leadership question. The outcome of this standoff will be closely watched by political analysts, as it may set a precedent for how regional parties negotiate with the national Congress in future elections.

The dispute comes at a time when the Congress is preparing for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, and the party’s unity will be crucial for its electoral prospects. Whether the TVK will relent or the Congress will follow through on its resignation threat remains to be seen, but the current impasse signals a significant challenge to the coalition’s cohesion.

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