'TVK Can Join INDIA Bloc Once They Have MPs': Manickam Tagore

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee leader B Manickam Tagore on Sunday said Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) would be invited to join the INDIA Bloc after the party secures representation in Parliament.

Responding to questions on TVK’s possible entry into the Opposition alliance, Tagore said the INDIA Bloc currently consists of parties with MPs and indicated that the Congress would consider TVK’s inclusion once it wins parliamentary seats.

“once Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has its (own) MPs we will ask them to join the INDIA alliance. We cannot keep inviting those parties which does not have MPs. Only, if they have MPs will we include them in the INDIA Bloc,” Tagore said.

His comments came while he was responding to remarks by TVK MLA and Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Minister Jagadeshwari K and other party leaders, including Revenue Minister K A Sengottaiyan, who have described Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay as a future Prime Minister and said he deserved to hold the post.

Tagore On Vijay And Rahul Gandhi

Taking a swipe at the statements made by TVK leaders, Tagore said their comments reflected Vijay’s fan following rather than a political assessment.

“the TVK leaders are still operating in a fan-club mode. So, you cannot silence people who are in the fan-club mode,” he said.

The remarks come as the Congress continues to project senior leader Rahul Gandhi as its Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

Tagore also recalled the developments following the Tamil Nadu Assembly election results, claiming that Vijay had reached out to Gandhi after TVK emerged with 108 seats.

He said the Congress was the first party to issue a letter of consent backing TVK after the election results were announced on May 4.

“First of all, regarding Mr Vijay, as soon his party won the 108 seats, the first person he called was Mr Rahul Gandhi (Congress leader) seeking its support for TVK to form the government. Therefore, all the current ministers of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam know this truth,” Tagore claimed.

TVK Responds On INDIA Bloc Entry

TVK deputy general secretary and Energy Resources and Law Minister C T R Nirmal Kumar, responding to Tagore’s remarks, said his party also expected to join the INDIA Bloc after contesting the next parliamentary elections and winning MPs.

“Whichever party currently has MPs, the INDIA alliance have formed a coalition together. We will join only after contesting the next Parliamentary elections, because only parties that has MPs will be in the INDIA Bloc,” Kumar said.

He added that including every party without parliamentary representation would potentially open the alliance to more than 1,000 political parties.

“So, once MPs come after the election (for TVK), we will definitely join and work together in the INDIA alliance,” he said.

TVK won 108 seats in the April 23 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, falling short of the 118-seat mark required for a majority.

The party subsequently formed a post-poll arrangement with the CPI and CPI(M), which won two seats each. The two Left parties are extending outside support to the TVK government.

TVK had also joined hands with the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Congress. The Congress has representation in the C Joseph Vijay-led Cabinet.