Rahul will lead INDIA bloc in 2029 polls, says Venugopal amid ‘Vijay for PM’ chant by TVK

Thrissur (Keralam), Sep 6 (PTI) 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, denying that the TVK had proposed its leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay as the alliance's prime ministerial candidate.

Venugopal was responding to reporters' queries about reports projecting Vijay for the prime minister's post in the 2029 parliamentary elections.

He 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 political campaigns on issues concerning students, farmers and the youth had received wide attention across the country.

"It is the fight he is leading that is being discussed the most in India today—whether it is for students, farmers, or the youth. Everyone has accepted that," he said.

Asked whether Gandhi would lead the INDIA alliance in the 2029 elections, Venugopal said, "Definitely. Rahul Gandhi is the most prominent leader loved by the people of India today. Everyone is listening to Rahul Gandhi's decisions and actions with great attention."

He said the INDIA 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. That is the truth," he said.

Referring to the CPI(M), which is also part of the INDIA alliance, Venugopal alleged that the party in Keralam was moving forward without learning from its mistakes.

"Then, the CPI(M) here is moving forward without learning any lessons. Even if they decide to learn, Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan is not allowing them to do so," he said.

Venugopal said differences within the alliance would be resolved and maintained that the bloc remained strong.

He alleged that the BJP government was leading the country into a "dark age".

Referring to a student protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and the subsequent police crackdown, Venugopal alleged that the Centre continued to justify the action.

"The incident happened at Jantar Mantar. The central government is continuing to justify it. They are even justifying the crackdown on students," he told reporters.

Venugopal also referred to the "purification" of the stage where Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge delivered a speech in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, alleging that such developments showed the country was heading towards a dark period.

"This is leading India into a dark age. A strong fight against this is essential in the country, and that is our interest as well," he said.