‘Our leader is very clear’: Tamil Nadu minister reiterates TVK’s stance on 'Vijay as PM' pitch

Tamil Nadu minister KA Sengottaiyan on Friday reiterated the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's stand on party president and chief minister C Joseph Vijay being pitched for the prime ministerial post in 2029 by some supporters on Friday.

TVK leaders' and supporters' ‘Vijay as PM’ pitch had sparked rumours of a rift with the Congress on the issue. Sengottaiyan, responding to this, said the TVK's leader was “very clear.” The Tamil Nadu minister's statement comes days after Congress leaders from the state had threatened to resign from Vijay's cabinet if TVK did not accept Rahul Gandhi as the next candidate for prime minister.

Sengottaiyan said that Tamil Nadu had shown “faith” in Vijay by voting for him, while saying the chief minister would take “all necessary steps” to protect the people of the state, ANI news agency reported.

Also Read | Congress vs TVK in Tamil Nadu Assembly? ‘Vijay as PM’ pitch sparks rift buzz, seat-change adds fuel

What did Sengottaiyan say?

When asked about Vijay being projected as a prime ministerial candidate, Sengottaiyan said, “As far as we are concerned, our leader is very clear. Tamil Nadu has voted with faith in him..”

The Tamil Nadu minister said that Vijay's TVK had “achieved a major victory” within two years of its formation and secured a new election symbol two months before winning the Assembly elections.

“The Chief Minister is taking all necessary steps to protect the people of Tamil Nadu and implement schemes that were desired by the public...” ANI cited Sengottaiyan as saying.

The remarks came a couple of days after TVK MLA Kanimozhi Santhosh said Vijay would be the prime ministerial candidate in 2029, adding that “a big and a shocking change in Indian politics will be seen in 2029”. “...you'll see in 2029. Who goes in and who goes out. It was our Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, who made Thalapathy sit in the CM chair. So he will only hold Vijay's hand and make him sit in the PM's chair in 2029,” Kanimozhi said.

Also Read | AIADMK's Palaniswami jibes TVK over ‘Vijay as PM’ pitch: ‘Could even become US President’

Congress vs TVK over 2029 prime ministerial candidate

The debate began after some Vijay posters were seen in parts of Tamil Nadu's port-industrial city of Thoothukudi, with the phrase "Tomorrow’s PM” written on them.

The posters were put up by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) functionary Sudhakar, who recently joined the Vijay-led party after leaving AIADMK. TVK leaders backed the projection of Vijay as PM for 2029, with TVK PWD minister Aadhav Arjuna saying that the country's top constitutional office should be held by a leader from Tamil Nadu.

However, the Congress leaders in the state showed displeasure, threatening to resign from Vijay's state cabinet. Congress is part of the TVK-led Tamil Nadu government with five MLAs, along with 107 of Vijay's party, two of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and two of VCK / Left Factions.

Tamil Nadu tourism minister S Rajesh Kumar stated that both Congress ministers will resign if TVK fails to back Gandhi in the 2029 general elections. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Congress president B Manickam Tagore said some TVK leaders were “still operating in a fan-club mode.”