'Rahul Gandhi INDIA bloc's 2029 PM candidate'

Chennai based Tamil Nadu Minister P Viswanathan declared on Friday that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is the definitive prime ministerial candidate for the INDIA bloc in the upcoming 2029 Lok Sabha polls. This assertion came as there is a rise in calls from ruling TVK ministers, legislators, and parts of the public to make Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay a potential prime ministerial candidate amidst a broader discussion on other possible national leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal.

Viswanathan clarified that as Congress leaders, they are firmly convinced that Rahul Gandhi, their beloved leader and Leader of the Opposition, is the INDIA bloc s prime ministerial candidate for the 2029 elections. He also discussed Tamil Nadu's measures to ensure the safety of tourists stranded in Nepal, with a four-member ministerial committee sent to the country on Thursday night to oversee relief operations.

As the death toll from flash floods in the Himalayan nation rose to 469, search-and-rescue operations were still ongoing for the third consecutive day, with nearly 1,000 people still unaccounted for. To maintain a constant monitor on the situation, the Tamil Nadu government opened dedicated control rooms in both Chennai and New Delhi, the senior Congress leader added.

When opposition parties criticized the Assembly for spending excessive time on unwanted conversations during legislative proceedings, the Minister for Higher Education strongly defended the process. He emphasized that the Assembly is the appropriate platform for debate, providing all elected representatives with an equal opportunity to voice their views.