TVK Ministers Pitch Joseph Vijay for Prime Minister, Drawing Pushback From Congress

Ministers and senior leaders of the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam promoted party leader C. Joseph Vijay as a future Prime Minister during public meetings held across Tamil Nadu on Saturday evening to mark the administration's first 100 days in office. The statements drew swift pushback from its coalition partner, the Congress.

At a public meeting in Tiruppur, Revenue Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan said that Vijay possessed the leadership ability to govern the country and claimed the TVK would secure support from northern states as well. Minorities Welfare Minister A.M. Shah Jahan highlighted Vijay's following across India on social media platforms such as Instagram, adding that the party would finalise its national strategy three months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking at a meeting in Sivakasi, Social Welfare Minister Jagadeeswari said Vijay would be the future Prime Minister because of his administration's focus on corruption-free governance in Tamil Nadu. Fisheries Minister Srinath also claimed the entire country was discussing the TVK leader and that the party would soon make an impact in Delhi.

The remarks prompted critical responses from Congress leaders, who rejected the projection of Vijay as a national leader. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee leader B. Manick Tagore dismissed the ministers' statements as fan-driven rhetoric, noting that the TVK remains in power with Congress support. Asserting that Rahul Gandhi is the coalition's candidate for Prime Minister, Tagore said that without Gandhi's efforts to facilitate a TVK government, the BJP and DMK could have supported AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami as Chief Minister.

Congress MP S. Jothimani reiterated that Rahul Gandhi is the only leader positioned to defeat the BJP and that the INDIA bloc would endorse his candidacy. She stated that the Congress would not accept Vijay as the Prime Ministerial candidate, though she noted the TVK leader should take time to formulate his national strategy. Jothimani also expressed confidence that the TVK-Congress alliance would win across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the upcoming parliamentary elections.