Addressing mediapersons in Coimbatore, Chairman of the All India Professionals’ Congress and Rahul Gandhi's close aide Praveen Chakravarty has asserted that TVK chief Vijay has certainly turned into a 'political force' in Tamil Nadu.
He added that people are enthusiastically attending Vijay's rallies and meetings, considering him as an influential political leader and not just as a mere actor.
Recently, Praveen's meeting with Vijay triggered controversy if Congress is intending to ally with TVK and to part ways from the DMK alliance.
However, reacting to the mediaperson's question on it today, Praveen shrugged off, saying, "I just met him. I meet so many people. Why is there a hullabaloo over it?"
While Virudhunagar MP and Senior Congress leader Manickam Tagore's call for power sharing and not just seat sharing within the DMK alliance has snowballed into a major talking point, Praveen echoes similar thoughts.
He said that party cadres are wishing for a share in power and more seats to contest the upcoming Assembly polls.
He added that such demands have arisen now, for the well-being of Congress's future in Tamil Nadu. He also remarked that Congress has continued to weaken over the last 60 years in the State.
However, he asserted that it is only the party's high command that decides on alliance, and there was nothing wrong in cadres expressing their views in a democratic party like Congress.
Notably, TNCC President K Selvaperunthagai, addressing mediapersons at Satyamurthy Bhavan in Chennai on January 6, reiterated that the Congress's alliance with DMK is 'firm' and there was no 'threat' to the alliance. Also, he had said that the seat-sharing arrangement will be informed to the media once it is finalised.