Chennai: Congress is set to gain an additional Rajya Sabha seat from Tamil Nadu after Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and Chief Minister Vijay agreed to allot the vacancy to the party, accepting a request conveyed on behalf of Rahul Gandhi.
The vacancy arose after former AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP C.V. Shanmugam resigned from the Upper House following his victory in the Mayilam Assembly constituency. The election to fill the seat is scheduled for June 18.
With TVK holding 107 MLAs, its nominee would have been assured of victory based on Assembly strength. However, Congress leadership sought the seat, and former Union minister P. Chidambaram met CM Vijay in Chennai to discuss the matter, even as some voices within TVK argued against giving up what would be the party’s first entry into Parliament.
Congress in-charge for Tamil Nadu Girish Chodankar arrived in Chennai from Goa and met the Chief Minister at the Secretariat, conveying Rahul Gandhi’s preference that the seat be allotted to Congress. Vijay subsequently announced the allotment, making a Congress win with TVK support effectively certain and shifting attention to the choice of candidate.
Party sources said AICC data analytics head Praveen Chakravarty and a few former state leaders are pressing their claims with the Delhi leadership. Rahul Gandhi is said to favour Chakravarty—credited with helping shape the TVK–Congress alliance and considered close to CM Vijay—making him a leading contender for the nomination.
