NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will lead the INDIA bloc in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said on Sunday, dismissing reports that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) had proposed its leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay as the alliance’s prime ministerial candidate.
Responding to reporters’ questions over reports projecting Vijay for the top post in the 2029 parliamentary elections, Venugopal said the TVK had made no such demand.
“Nobody should create any such confusion. Rahul Gandhi will be the face of the INDIA alliance,” he said.
Venugopal said Gandhi’s campaigns on issues concerning students, farmers and the youth had received widespread attention across the country.
Asked whether Gandhi would lead the INDIA alliance in the 2029 elections, Venugopal said, “Definitely,” describing him as the most prominent leader and asserting that people across the country were closely following his decisions and political actions.
On the INDIA bloc, Venugopal said the alliance remained strong despite differences among its constituents in some States.
“The INDIA alliance is moving forward. There are some issues in a few states where they are competing against each other. Otherwise, it is the INDIA alliance itself that is moving forward,” he said.
Referring to the CPI(M)’s political position in Kerala, Venugopal alleged that the party was moving ahead without learning from its mistakes and also criticised Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan.
Venugopal maintained that differences within the alliance would be resolved and reiterated that the opposition bloc remained strong.
