Actor-Turned-Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Ranked Among Top 3 Potential Indian Prime Ministers
Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
- Actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay, the current Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, is ranked third among potential Prime Minister candidates for India's 2029 elections, according to an India Today-CVoter survey.
- Vijay secured 9.2% of respondent preferences, trailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi (48.7%) and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (27.1%).
- Senior party leaders have publicly endorsed Vijay as a national leader, drawing parallels to past influential Tamil Nadu chief ministers.
Three months after his surprise election as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay is already being discussed as a potential Prime Minister of India. A recent survey by India Today-CVoter places him as the third most favored candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, signaling a meteoric rise in his political career.
The survey reveals that Vijay garnered 9.2% of respondent preferences for the prime ministerial role. He follows incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who leads with 48.7% of the vote, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who secured 27.1%. Other prominent figures like Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav received significantly lower percentages.
People from north Indian states are also looking forward to our leader Vijay; he is the one who has the power to rule the entire India.
Vijay's political ascent has been remarkably swift. He entered politics only in 2024, launching his party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Despite his recent entry, his party has actively promoted the idea of his national leadership in recent weeks. His popularity, built over years as a leading actor in Tamil cinema, appears to have translated effectively into the political arena.
I have travelled with MGR and Jayalalithaa. After these two leaders, Vijay is the force who will not only rule Tamil Nadu but also the future India, following their path.
Senior TVK leaders have publicly championed Vijay's potential to lead the nation. KA Sengottaiyan, a senior TVK leader, stated at a public meeting that people from northern Indian states are also looking to Vijay as a potential national leader. He drew parallels between Vijay and past influential Tamil Nadu chief ministers MGR and Jayalalithaa, asserting that Vijay possesses the power to rule not only Tamil Nadu but also India's future.
Tamil Nadu human resources management minister D Sarathkumar further bolstered this narrative, praising Vijay's work ethic and declaring him the "next Indian PM." This strong endorsement from within his party highlights a concerted effort to position Vijay as a national contender, leveraging his existing popularity and perceived leadership qualities.
Our leader, who is a chief minister in our hearts, home and St. Georgeโs Fort, is the next Indian PM. You are the next PM. You work without looking at AM or PM, you are definitely the next PM.
Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.