Rahul Gandhi for PM or Resign: Congress Minister’s Message to TVK

Speaking at the assumption-of-office ceremony of George Robinson, who took charge as the President of the Kanyakumari West District Congress Committee, the Congress leader on Saturday declared that Rahul Gandhi will become Prime Minister of India in 2029. Rajesh Kumar said he and his colleague P Vishwanathan (Higher Education Minister) were prepared to resign from their positions if the alliance partner does not support the Congress on the subject.

Though Vishwanathan was not immediately available for comments, Kumar's statement is likely to cause a rift in the ties between the Congress and TVK.

TVK Asserts Vijay as PM Candidate in 2029

Kumar's remark came after TVK leaders made repeated attempts to project Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay as a prospective prime ministerial contender from Tamil Nadu for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

This narrative gained momentum when PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna asserted that the nation's top office should be occupied by a leader from Tamil Nadu.

The issue picked up national traction after a survey conducted by a private media outlet ranked Vijay as the third most preferred prime ministerial candidate in the country, trailing behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

Assembly Balance in Tamil Nadu

When the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by C Joseph Vijay, won 108 seats in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, breaking the decades-long stronghold of the DMK and AIADMK in the state, Congress had snapped its long-standing alliance with the DMK and submitted a formal letter of support to the TVK at its headquarters in Chennai.

TVK subsequently formed the state government with support from the VCK, IUML, Congress, CPI and CPI(M). The majority of the parties' support came with a condition requiring the alliance to strictly keep out "communal forces" from the government.

The move has also created tension between DMK and Congress.