Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai
Chennai, Aug 31: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay’s emergence as one of the top choices for Prime Minister in the latest India Today-CVoter Mood of the Nation survey has triggered a political row within the ruling alliance, with the DMK and Congress questioning the party’s reported “Vijay for PM” pitch.
Vijay ranked third in the survey published on August 28, behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a poll that asked respondents whom they would prefer as prime minister if the Lok Sabha elections were held today.
The survey has strengthened the TVK’s growing narrative around Vijay as a possible prime ministerial contender in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The idea, however, has drawn criticism from alliance partner Congress as well as the opposition DMK.
DMK secretary R S Bharathi mocked the campaign, saying there was “no limit” to the imagination of TVK members. He also questioned how Vijay could be projected as the prime ministerial candidate when Congress continues to regard Rahul Gandhi as its preferred candidate.
“The moment someone says that he will become the Prime Minister, they have already decided that it will not be Rahul Gandhi, haven’t they?” Bharathi said.
Congress has taken a stronger position. Tamil Nadu Tourism Minister S Rajesh Kumar said the party had a clear vision for the 2029 elections and warned that the two Congress ministers in Vijay’s Cabinet would resign if TVK did not accept Rahul Gandhi as the INDIA bloc’s prime ministerial candidate.
“All the ministers claim that our Chief Minister is the next Prime Minister. Media friends constantly ask me about this, and I want to make it clear, our leader Rahul Gandhi will become Prime Minister after the 2029 election. If the TVK does not accept this, both Congress ministers will not continue in their posts,” Rajesh Kumar said.
Tamil Nadu Congress chief Manickam Tagore also criticised the survey without directly naming Vijay or TVK. Sharing a Tamil post titled “The Fox’s Fake Poll” on X, Tagore questioned the survey’s methodology and wrote, “Not every number tells the truth. Not every survey is the voice of the people.”
The post carried the hashtag #MOTN, making it clear that his criticism was directed at the Mood of the Nation survey.
MDMK chief Vaiko, an ally of Vijay, also sought to cool the speculation, saying there was no alternative to Rahul Gandhi as the INDIA bloc’s prime ministerial candidate. He added that he doubted whether Vijay himself had any ambition to become prime minister.
“There clearly isn't an alternative to Rahul Gandhi as PM Candidate for INDIA bloc. I doubt Vijay has any aspirations to be PM,” Vaiko said, while urging ministers in the alliance to avoid making such statements.
The controversy comes as Vijay completes 100 days as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister after his TVK achieved a major political breakthrough by defeating the established Dravidian parties. The “Vijay for PM in 2029” narrative has also begun appearing in public spaces, with posters supporting his prime ministerial candidature reported in parts of Tamil Nadu, including Thoothukudi.
The developments have brought fresh uncertainty to the alliance, with Congress insisting on Rahul Gandhi for 2029 while sections supporting Vijay appear keen to expand his political ambitions beyond Tamil Nadu.