En Frienda Pola! Rahul Gandhi-Vijay friendship dates back to 2009

CHENNAI: When actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam president Vijay took oath as the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Lok Sabha Opposition Leader and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was the main guest on the stage. Vijay addressed Rahul Gandhi as his brother at the ceremony. This revealed the depth of the friendship between the two.

The Congress's announcement of support for Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, which emerged as the single largest party in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, surprised not only the fronts but also many political observers. The Congress abandoned its long-standing alliance with former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin overnight and switched allegiance to Vijay's TVK. However, there is more to it than what meets the eye to describe the bonhomie of Rahul Gandhi and Vijay. The two have known each other for the past 17 years.

The relationship between Rahul Gandhi and Vijay began in 2009. At that time, Vijay was keen to try his luck in politics, and Congress was a viable option. The superstar then came to Delhi through NSUI National Secretary Gopinath Palaniappan and met Rahul Gandhi. It is reported that when Vijay had trouble dealing with his busy movie schedules, it was Rahul Gandhi who advised him to wait for a better time to enter politics.

The two remained friends ever since. When Vijay officially entered politics by forming his party TVK in 2024, Rahul Gandhi was one of the first political leaders to congratulate him.

“No one believed in me during difficult times; only a few leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Praveen Chakraborty believed in my abilities,” Vijay said at the first meeting of the leaders of the alliance.

Beyond personal friendship, ideological similarities also formed the basis of the Vijay-Rahul alliance. Political observers say that Vijay's repeated statements that Kamaraj, Ambedkar, and Periyar were his political inspirations were a sign of today's TVK-Congress alliance.

During his earlier years, Vijay wanted to join Congress, so the current alliance may seem natural. Vijay's friendship is also a new opportunity for Rahul Gandhi to bolster Congress's presence in the state. Rahul Gandhi firmly believes that Vijay can become a strong secular face to defeat the NDA alliance in South India.

Rahul Gandhi's attendance at the swearing-in ceremony is also seen as a sign of a major political breakthrough. Political observers say their growing friendship is the beginning of a political alliance against the BJP in South India.