New Delhi. After Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay's party Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) joined the INDIA alliance, the discussion over his role in national politics has intensified. TVK's entry has come at a time when some party leaders have been projecting Vijay as the future prime ministerial candidate. However, joining the alliance does not mean that Vijay has been declared the prime ministerial candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Will the scope of victory increase from Tamil Nadu to Delhi?
TVK's entry into the INDIA alliance has given Vijay a platform to play an active role in national opposition politics. Two ministers from the party attended the recent alliance meeting and leaders of several allies, including the Congress, welcomed TVK's decision. The alliance has also fixed TVK's participation in election issues as well as the proposed protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
This step is also considered important for TVK because the party made a strong position in Tamil Nadu politics in its very first assembly elections and got the support of allies to form the government. By becoming a part of the national alliance, the party may get an opportunity to further increase its influence in Lok Sabha politics.
Discussion on PM post, but Congress has its own line
The discussion about presenting Vijay as a possible face for the post of Prime Minister has intensified due to the statements of some TVK leaders. Party leader Adhav Arjun had said in August that the future Prime Minister should be from South India and the Prime Minister can also emerge from Tamil Nadu. However, this was a statement by the party leader and not an official announcement of the INDIA alliance.
On the other hand, Congress has made its position clear on this issue. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal had said in September that Rahul Gandhi would be the face of the INDIA alliance in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and there should be no confusion about Vijay being made the prime ministerial candidate.
What will change after coming into alliance?
For TVK, joining the INDIA alliance is currently a step towards increasing political partnership at the national level. This will give Vijay's party a platform for coordination with Congress, Left parties and other allies of Tamil Nadu. Also, TVK's role may be important in seat distribution and opposition strategy before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
However, the question of the face of the post of Prime Minister is different from this. Joining an alliance does not in itself make a leader a PM candidate. For this, broad political consensus within the alliance will be necessary.
There was also discussion about the third front
Before Vijay's party joined the INDIA alliance, there were discussions going on about a separate opposition front in Tamil Nadu politics. There were also reports of talks on the possibility of bringing together regional parties and forming a political platform separate from the Congress. But after the formal participation of TVK in INDIA alliance, a new equation seems to be forming in the direction of opposition politics.
The fight for 2029 is still far away, the picture is yet to be seen.
Vijay's increasing activism in national politics has definitely made him a topic of discussion in the possible opposition politics of 2029, but it is too early to say that he will be the Prime Ministerial candidate. At present, his party's participation in the INDIA alliance has been formalized, while the Congress has made its position clear with Rahul Gandhi as the face of the alliance. In the coming times, the picture will become clearer due to the talks between the allies regarding leadership and seats.