Chennai: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay handed over the lone Rajya Sabha seat that fell vacant in Tamil Nadu to the Congress party on Wednesday, a move widely interpreted as further strengthening the ties between the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the national party following their post-election understanding. Congress sources indicated that AICC functionary Praveen Chakravarthy is the leading candidate for nomination to the Upper House.
Announcement After Meeting
Vijay's announcement came shortly after AICC's Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar met with him. Chodankar praised the decision, describing it as a reflection of "coalition dharma," mutual respect, and a shared commitment to democratic values. "Vijay has proved that he is a man of his word. By honouring his commitment and standing firmly by his promise, he has demonstrated principled leadership, political integrity and respect for alliance partners. This decision reinforces faith in coalition politics based on trust and mutual respect," Chodankar stated.
Political Consultations
Former Union minister P Chidambaram had also called on Vijay at the secretariat a day earlier, adding to speculation about the seat-sharing arrangement. The vacancy arose after former AIADMK MP C Ve Shanmugam resigned from the Rajya Sabha following his victory in the April assembly elections.
Timeline and Process
June 8 is the deadline for filing nominations. Scrutiny is scheduled for June 9, withdrawals can be made until June 11, and polling, if required, will be held on June 18. Congress insiders revealed that allocation of the Rajya Sabha berth was part of a post-election pact struck after the party's five MLAs threw their weight behind the TVK government following the assembly poll results.
Frontrunner Candidate
According to party functionaries, Congress had zeroed in on Chakravarthy for the seat whenever an election arose. Chakravarthy, regarded as close to Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, is also understood to share a warm equation with Vijay, party functionaries said. State Congress chief K Selvaperunthagai stated that a formal announcement on the party's candidate would come from the AICC.
