‘Vijay for PM’ pitch sparks pushback from DMK, Congress amid 2029 buzz

The latest India Today-CVoter Mood of the Nation survey has given the campaign renewed momentum by placing Vijay third among respondents’ preferred choices for Prime Minister, behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

The survey, published on August 28, has provided fresh material for supporters of the actor-turned-politician, who have increasingly projected him beyond Tamil Nadu following his party’s rise in state politics.

The response from alliance partners, however, has been notably different.

DMK leader RS Bharathi dismissed the idea, while Congress leaders have reiterated Rahul Gandhi’s claim to the INDIA bloc’s prime ministerial position.

DMK mocks ‘Vijay for PM’ campaign

DMK secretary RS Bharathi responded sharply when asked about the growing campaign around Vijay’s possible national ambitions.

"If party members speak, they will even say that he is going to become the head of the United Nations. Imagination, imagination, there is no limit to their imagination. Let them think whatever they want," Bharathi said.

He also questioned how Vijay could be projected as a prime ministerial candidate while Rahul Gandhi remains the Congress's preferred choice.

"The moment someone says that he will become the Prime Minister, they have already decided that it will not be Rahul Gandhi, haven’t they?" Bharathi said.

"If Congress workers have any self-respect, let them come out and say that they have decided Rahul Gandhi will not become the Prime Minister. No, no, he will be the Prime Minister, and let these people keep worshipping him," he added.

The comments assume significance because Congress and TVK are allies in Tamil Nadu, making the competing political narratives potentially significant for the alliance's positioning ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha election.

Congress draws line over Rahul Gandhi

Congress has also sought to make its position on the 2029 prime ministerial question clear.

Congress minister Rajesh Kumar, who is part of Vijay's cabinet, said the party had already settled its position and warned that its ministers could leave the Tamil Nadu government if TVK did not back Rahul Gandhi.

"All the ministers claim that our Chief Minister is the next Prime Minister. Media friends constantly ask me about this, and I want to make it clear, our leader Rahul Gandhi will become Prime Minister after the 2029 election," Kumar said.

"If the TVK does not accept this, both Congress ministers will not continue in their posts," he added.

The statement puts the alliance's state-level arrangement alongside a separate national political calculation, with Congress seeking to retain Rahul Gandhi's position as its preferred prime ministerial face.

Congress leader Manickam Tagore also appeared to challenge the survey that placed Vijay among the leading PM choices, although he did not directly name either Vijay or TVK.

Manickam Tagore questions survey

Tagore shared a Tamil-language post on X titled "The Fox's Fake Poll", using a fable about a fox conducting a survey among animals before exploiting its findings to create distrust between a lion and an elephant.

The post questioned the survey's methodology, including the number of respondents, the location of the survey, the people questioned, the questions asked and the manner in which the results were calculated.

"Not every number tells the truth. Not every survey is the voice of the people," Tagore wrote.

His post carried the hashtag #MOTN, linking it to the Mood of the Nation survey without explicitly mentioning Vijay or TVK.

The comments reflect the political sensitivity surrounding national-level projections of Vijay at a time when his party remains an important component of the Tamil Nadu alliance.

Ally Vaiko backs Rahul Gandhi as INDIA bloc choice

Vijay has also faced a more measured response from another ally, MDMK chief Vaiko, who said there was no alternative to Rahul Gandhi as the INDIA bloc's prime ministerial candidate.

Vaiko also questioned whether Vijay himself had any ambition to seek the country's top political office.

"There clearly isn't an alternative to Rahul Gandhi as PM Candidate for INDIA bloc. I doubt Vijay has any aspirations to be PM," Vaiko said.

He also urged ministers associated with the alliance to avoid making statements that could fuel speculation about Vijay's national ambitions.

"Neither the honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu nor anyone in their party has any such thought or intention, not even a fraction of it," Vaiko added.