The Congress party is unwilling to accept anything less than Rahul Gandhi’s PM candidacy in the India Bloc. However, its support base in the alliance is eroding in South India over this issue. Following TVK, the CPM has declared that Congress is not doing the right thing.
Congress’s hopes for Rahul Gandhi are facing a setback from South India itself (Photo – NavbharatTimes.com)
New Delhi: In Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Thalapathy C. Joseph Vijay’s party, TVK, declared him the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate for 2029, infuriating his ruling ally, the Congress. The party immediately declared that Rahul Gandhi would be its candidate, and no one else could be. Now, the CPM has also stated that Congress is rushing things, as nothing has been finalized within the India Bloc.
Blow to Rahul Gandhi from South Indian States
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was the by-default leader of the opposition alliance, the India Bloc, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Under his leadership, the party won a record 99 seats in the last three elections. Of these, 42 came from South Indian states alone. However, it now appears that Congress allies in South India have rejected Rahul Gandhi’s leadership of the India Bloc and his potential candidacy for the post of Prime Minister in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
‘Declaring Rahul as the Prime Ministerial candidate is illegitimate’
The CPM is a key ally of the Congress Party in the India Bloc. Furthermore, the CPM is also the leader of left-wing parties across the country. In an interview with our sister English newspaper, ET, CPM General Secretary MA Baby made it clear that Congress is making a gross mistake by projecting Rahul Gandhi as a Prime Ministerial candidate, as the India Bloc has not yet made any such decision.
The India Bloc has not made any decision to project anyone as our Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2029 general elections. We have not even discussed this issue. Therefore, it is premature and illegitimate for Congress leaders to declare Rahul Gandhi as the India Bloc’s prime ministerial candidate for the 2029 elections.
MA Baby, CPM General Secretary
Our candidate is Rahul Gandhi – Congress
Earlier, when the ruling TVK in Tamil Nadu attempted to portray Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay as a strong opposition PM candidate in the upcoming elections, Congress was enraged. State Congress President Manickam Tagore made it clear that the party would not compromise on Rahul Gandhi’s name.
Our candidate is Rahul Gandhi. There is no doubt about this.
Manickam Tagore, State Congress President, Tamil Nadu
TVK MLA declares Vijay as PM candidate
In fact, the controversy over the PM candidacy among India Bloc allies began when Kanimozhi Santosh, MLA of the ruling TVK in Tamil Nadu, said that Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, would help TVK President and Tamil Nadu CM C. Joseph Vijay become Prime Minister in 2029.
It was Rahul Gandhi who placed our leader (CM Vijay) in the Chief Minister’s chair. Similarly, in 2029, Rahul Gandhi will hold our leader’s hand and take him to the Prime Minister’s chair.
Kanimozhi Santosh, TVK MLA
Arguments against Rahul Gandhi’s candidacy
The CPM General Secretary says that the India Bloc was formed to defeat the Modi government. When the India Bloc wins against the Modi government, the parties in the alliance will decide who will be the Prime Minister. He said that even Manmohan Singh’s name was not finalized earlier.
Some Congress leaders are probably talking about making (Rahul) Gandhi the PM candidate because he is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. However, Mallikarjun Kharge, in addition to being the Congress President, is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.
MA Baby, CPM General Secretary
‘Congress has the right to stake claim if India Bloc wins’
The India Bloc leader says, “In the past, we have seen some regional parties come together after the elections and stake claim to form the government, which Congress had to support from outside.”
However, if India Bloc wins the elections, Congress can stake claim to the PM post, just as some other (allied) parties can.
MA Baby, CPM General Secretary
Authored by: Anjan Kumar
About the Author
Anjan Kumar is an Assistant Editor at Navbharat Times Online and has been a journalist for over 24 years. Anjan joined Navbharat Times Online in April 2025 and has been writing on topics such as politics, elections, judiciary, defense, foreign affairs, current affairs, and business in digital media for the past 10 years.
Courtesy: Hindi News