Tension within the TVK–Congress alliance, triggered by controversial remarks made by Congress minister Rajeshkumar, has reportedly been brought under control after senior Congress leaders met Chief Minister Vijay.
According to Congress functionaries in Tamil Nadu, state Congress chief Manickam Tagore and Rajya Sabha MP Praveen Chakravarthy met Vijay at the Secretariat a day earlier and held discussions aimed at restoring calm within the coalition.
The issue arose after a private media survey reportedly placed Vijay third among preferred candidates for the Prime Minister’s post, behind Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. Following this, TVK leaders began referring to Vijay as a “future Prime Minister,” the sources said.
Rajeshkumar then warned that TVK should back Rahul Gandhi as the INDIA alliance candidate, and said the party would quit the alliance otherwise, with two ministers resigning as well. The statement led to unrest within the alliance.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal is said to have asked Tagore and Chakravarthy to meet Vijay to draw a line under the matter. During the meeting, they conveyed the Delhi leadership’s view that no one should make controversial statements that create unnecessary confusion among cadres. Vijay reportedly agreed, urging allies not to believe rumours and to work together.
