Archive · 31 Aug 2026
DMK and Congress Reject Vijay’s 2029 Prime Ministerial Bid
Some political groups are discussing whether Vijay could become India’s Prime Ministerial candidate in 2029.
His supporters have started a campaign using posters and social media.
A survey placed Vijay third behind Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi.
Congress leaders say Rahul Gandhi should be the party’s candidate.
DMK leader R.S. Bharathi made fun of the idea of Vijay becoming Prime Minister.
Two TVK ministers did not reject the possibility of supporting Vijay.
One Congress minister reportedly said Congress ministers could leave the Tamil Nadu cabinet if TVK did not support Rahul Gandhi, although another report identified the speaker differently.
TVK has not yet explained whether it will join the INDIA bloc or how it will contest the election.
TVK supporters are promoting Joseph Vijay as a possible Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
An India Today-CVoter survey placed Narendra Modi first, Rahul Gandhi second and Vijay third with 9.2 percent support.
DMK leader R.S. Bharathi mocked the campaign, while Congress leaders questioned the survey and backed Rahul Gandhi.
TVK ministers K.A. Sengottaiyan and C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar did not rule out projecting Vijay nationally.
TVK has not joined the INDIA bloc, and its 2029 election strategy and alliance plans remain undisclosed.
- Who
- Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, Joseph Vijay, Congress, DMK, Rahul Gandhi, Narendra Modi and INDIA bloc allies are involved in the debate.
- What
- The parties are disputing whether Vijay could be projected as a Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
- When
- The discussion followed an August 28 survey and statements made on Sunday; the election is scheduled for 2029.
- Where
- The reactions and statements were reported from Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai; TVK supporters have also campaigned in north India.
- Why
- The issue intensified after a survey gave Vijay 9.2 percent support and TVK supporters began promoting his national ambitions.
Congress and DMK
TVK and Its Supporters
Prime Ministerial candidate
Congress and DMK
Congress leaders support Rahul Gandhi, while DMK’s R.S. Bharathi rejected the idea that Vijay should be projected as Prime Minister.
TVK and Its Supporters
TVK supporters are promoting Vijay, and TVK ministers have left open the possibility of making him a national candidate.
Survey interpretation
Congress and DMK
Congress figures questioned the survey’s reliability and supporters alleged it could be a BJP effort to create tensions between Congress and TVK.
TVK and Its Supporters
The survey’s third-place result gives Vijay and TVK greater visibility and potentially greater bargaining power in alliance and seat-sharing discussions.
Alliance strategy
Congress and DMK
Congress leaders indicated that a TVK campaign centered on Vijay could make cooperation with Congress more difficult because Congress is backing Rahul Gandhi.
TVK and Its Supporters
TVK could potentially seek partners that accept Vijay as Prime Ministerial candidate, although the party has not disclosed its final alliance strategy.
- Survey ranking
- The India Today-CVoter Mood of the Nation survey ranked Narendra Modi first, Rahul Gandhi second and Vijay third among preferred Prime Ministerial choices.
- Vijay’s support
- The survey gave Vijay 9.2 percent support; another article describes the figure as about 9 percent.
- Congress position
- Congress leaders cited in the reports backed Rahul Gandhi as the party’s 2029 Prime Ministerial candidate.
- DMK response
- DMK leader R.S. Bharathi dismissed and mocked the campaign portraying Vijay as a future Prime Minister.
- TVK position
- TVK ministers K.A. Sengottaiyan and C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar did not rule out projecting Vijay.
- Alliance status
- TVK has not joined the INDIA bloc, and its Lok Sabha election strategy has not been announced.
- Historical comparison
- The reports compare the campaign with J. Jayalalithaa’s 2014 Prime Ministerial projection, after which her party won 37 Lok Sabha seats.
