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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C Joseph Vijay has been unanimously named the leader of the ruling alliance, which was formally given the name “Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance” after a meeting of its constituent parties at the TVK headquarters in Panaiyur on Wednesday. The alliance includes the TVK, Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and will function in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry under Vijay’s leadership.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President B Manickam Tagore said the coalition had been formed around secularism, social justice and protection of Tamil Nadu’s rights. He said the alliance would contest the upcoming bypolls under its new name. The name combines “Secular”, “Social Justice” and “Victory”, reflecting the principles and objectives of the parties.

Vijay leads new alliance as parties set up common structure

Tagore also clarified that Vijay’s leadership of the state-level alliance should not be linked to the question of the Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha election. He said the newly named alliance is part of the INDIA bloc, while the broader alliance’s Prime Ministerial candidate would be decided collectively by its constituent parties when the 2029 election is announced.

“The Congress Party’s Prime Ministerial candidate is Rahul Gandhi. At the same time, the Prime Ministerial candidate of the INDIA alliance will be decided by the alliance parties,” Tagore said after the meeting. He added that Vijay would campaign for whoever is eventually chosen as the INDIA alliance’s Prime Ministerial candidate.

Vijay national role debate continues ahead of 2029 polls

Tagore’s remarks came amid recent political discussion over whether Vijay could emerge as a possible Prime Ministerial candidate in 2029. The TVK has not formally announced him as the alliance’s Prime Ministerial candidate. Ahead of Wednesday’s meeting, TVK Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna said there was considerable time before the 2029 Lok Sabha election and said the country’s top constitutional post should be held by a leader from Tamil Nadu, adding to speculation about the party’s national ambitions.

The Prime Ministerial issue had remained part of the political discussion ahead of the meeting, while its formal focus was on giving the post-poll alliance an organisational structure, deciding its name and working on a Common Minimum Programme and coordination mechanism. The meeting was the second major coordination meeting of parties supporting the TVK-led government since it assumed office.

Vijay alliance brings Congress, VCK, MDMK and IUML together

The meeting was attended by Tagore, Congress leaders Praveen Chakravarthy and Tharahai Cuthbert, MDMK leader Vaiko and his son Durai, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan, and IUML leaders KM Kader Mohideen, AM Shahjahan and Syed Farooq Basha. Vijay chaired the meeting at the Panaiyur headquarters.

The Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) did not attend. Both have been supporting the TVK government from outside while retaining their independent political positions. The new alliance, under Vijay’s leadership, will now move ahead with its organisational framework and common programme while remaining part of the INDIA bloc.

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