The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-Congress alliance appears to be facing a fresh political strain, with senior TVK leaders increasingly projecting Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay as a potential Prime Minister while the Congress continues to back Rahul Gandhi for the top national post, as reported in Junior Vikatan.
A report in Junior Vikatan suggests that the “Vijay for PM” narrative is not limited to enthusiastic statements from party leaders. TVK is reportedly exploring a larger national strategy, including expanding beyond Tamil Nadu, identifying constituencies across India and even considering a future rebranding of the party as “Desiya Vetri Kazhagam.”
The development has reportedly upset sections of the Congress, with Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Manickam Tagore accusing TVK leaders of continuing to operate with a “fan-club mentality.”
“TVK Was Not Formed To Make Rahul Gandhi PM”
The clearest indication of TVK’s ambitions comes from a senior minister quoted in the report.
“TVK was not formed to make Rahul Gandhi Prime Minister. We have our own policies and action plans,” the minister reportedly said.
The minister pointed to the 1996 Lok Sabha election, when the Janata Dal won only 46 seats but, through coalition arithmetic, H.D. Deve Gowda eventually became Prime Minister.
The argument being made within TVK is that a similar political scenario could emerge in 2029.
According to the senior minister, if TVK were to win around 100 Lok Sabha seats, Vijay could potentially emerge as a Prime Ministerial contender.
“A similar magic could happen in 2029. If TVK wins 100 seats then, Vijay too has the fortune of becoming Prime Minister. That is what this aggressive strategy is for,” the minister reportedly said.
The remarks make the party’s national ambitions considerably more explicit: TVK is not merely looking to influence national politics from Tamil Nadu but is reportedly examining whether Vijay’s popularity can eventually be converted into a national electoral force.
From TVK To ‘Desiya Vetri Kazhagam’?
The strategy could even involve changing the party’s name.
According to the report, TVK is considering renaming itself “Desiya Vetri Kazhagam” as part of a move into national politics, drawing a parallel with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi changing its name to Bharat Rashtra Samithi before expanding its political ambitions beyond Telangana.
The party has also reportedly begun identifying Lok Sabha constituencies across India where it believes it could have electoral potential.
Future alliances with political formations such as Jan Suraaj and the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) have also reportedly not been ruled out.
If these plans materialise, TVK’s ambitions would extend well beyond Tamil Nadu’s political boundaries.
‘Vijay For PM’ Push Already Underway
The political messaging from TVK leaders has also become increasingly direct.
Minister Aadhav Arjuna was among the first to publicly speak about the need for a Prime Minister to emerge from Tamil Nadu, saying that the State’s voice should be heard in Parliament just as it is heard in the Assembly.
Other senior leaders soon followed.
Senior minister Sengottaiyan said Vijay possessed the ability not only to rule Tamil Nadu but eventually the country.
Minister Jegatheeswari declared that there was no doubt that the present Chief Minister would become the Prime Minister.
Fisheries Minister Srinath suggested that Vijay would command the same attention in Delhi that he currently enjoys in Tamil Nadu, while former MLA Isakki Subbiah described Vijay as the future Prime Minister of India.
Ministers Mariyavilson and others have also reportedly joined the chorus.
The cumulative effect has been to turn what could once have been dismissed as individual expressions of enthusiasm into a much broader “Vijay for PM” narrative within TVK.
₹5 Crore A Month To Build Vijay’s National Image?
The political messaging is being backed by an extensive social media campaign.
Political observers cited by Junior Vikatan claim that reels portraying Vijay as an exceptionally successful and decisive leader are being pushed not only in Tamil Nadu but also across northern India.
Influencers from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand are reportedly being used to produce videos promoting Vijay.
The reported expenditure for this campaign is ₹5 crore a month, or approximately ₹60 crore a year, with a senior TVK minister allegedly overseeing the operation.
Some of these videos reportedly make claims about Vijay’s government that are either exaggerated or factually incorrect, while still attracting millions of views.
One video describing Vijay as a “real hero” has reportedly crossed 1.4 crore views.
If the reported expenditure is accurate, TVK is effectively investing substantial resources in building recognition for Vijay outside Tamil Nadu even as the party is still establishing itself politically within the State.
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Congress Asks: Are We Being Pushed Out?
This is where the issue becomes particularly uncomfortable for the Congress.
TVK and Congress are allies in Tamil Nadu, while the Congress continues to position Rahul Gandhi as its principal national leader.
But TVK’s emerging narrative is different.
Rather than simply supporting Rahul Gandhi’s national ambitions, the party is reportedly preparing for a scenario in which Vijay himself could emerge as a Prime Ministerial contender after the 2029 Lok Sabha election.
The development has reportedly angered sections of the Congress.
Manickam Tagore has accused TVK leaders of behaving like a fan club rather than a political organisation. He has also argued that Congress was among the first parties to support Vijay becoming Chief Minister and suggested that without such support, the political situation could have unfolded differently.
The issue has reportedly been brought to Rahul Gandhi’s attention as well.
For the Congress, the concern goes beyond a few provocative statements by TVK ministers. If TVK is genuinely preparing for a national expansion, the party could eventually move from being a regional ally of Congress to seeking independent political space across India.
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