CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held election campaigns in Puducherry on the same day but did not share the stage, raising questions about coordination within the INDIA bloc alliance.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi arrived in Chennai from Delhi on Monday morning in a special aircraft, marking a key transit halt as the party intensified its campaign in poll-bound states. They landed at the old terminal of Chennai airport around 10 am, where they were received by senior Tamil Nadu Congress leaders, including former TNCC presidents Thangabalu and Krishnasamy, along with other party functionaries. TNCC president Selvaperuthagai was not present at the airport to receive the leaders from Delhi.
After a brief halt at the VIP lounge, both leaders departed for their respective campaign destinations. Rahul Gandhi left for Puducherry in a smaller chartered aircraft around 10.30 am to take part in election campaigning. On the same day, Chief Minister MK Stalin also addressed a campaign meeting in Puducherry. However, the two senior leaders did not appear together on a same platform, leading to speculation over whether it reflects an internal rift in the alliance or merely a scheduling decision.
Rahul Gandhi is also expected to travel to Kochi later as part of his Kerala campaign schedule. Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi departed for Kannur in Kerala on the same aircraft that brought them from Delhi.
With assembly elections scheduled in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Assam, and West Bengal, political parties have intensified their outreach. Voting in Kerala and Puducherry is set for the 9th, with campaigning concluding by Tuesday evening, pushing parties into a final phase of high voltage canvassing.
Despite their brief presence in Chennai, neither Rahul Gandhi nor Priyanka Gandhi held any campaign events in Tamil Nadu on Monday. Congress sources said both leaders are expected to return to the state in the coming days for dedicated campaign engagements.