The comment rattled party insiders. K Selvaperunthagai, the former Tamil Nadu Congress chief, publicly challenged the party’s alliance with the Tamil Vanathi Kamaraj (TVK) in Chennai on September 15, 2026, urging Congress to name Rahul Gandhi as its 2029 Lok Sabha candidate.
Chakravarty insisted. Congress MP Praveen Chakravarty immediately dismissed Selvaperunthagai’s remarks, calling him unqualified to speak on the alliance and insisting that the partnership remains intact.
The partnership was meant to extend beyond the state legislature into the national arena. The alliance was brokered after the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, when Congress withdrew its support from the DMK and pledged to back the TVK‑led government into future contests.
The disagreement has energized both camps. While Congress leadership across the state backs Rahul Gandhi, factions within TVK push Vijay as a national contender, creating a schism over the 2029 Lok Sabha leadership.
The discord threatens the coalition’s cohesion and could influence the party’s strategy for the upcoming national elections, prompting Congress to reaffirm its commitment to the alliance.