Synopsis
Dissent within the Tamil Nadu Congress has emerged against President K. Selvaperunthagai due to his leadership style and recent actions to appoint new district chiefs. A faction of leaders has expressed dissatisfaction, linking the party's electoral challenges to his inefficiency.Key Takeaways
- Dissent is growing within the Tamil Nadu Congress.
- Concerns raised over K. Selvaperunthagai's leadership style.
- DMK's decision on Erode East seat has caused discontent.
- Party reforms and leadership changes are anticipated.
- Selvaperunthagai enjoys support from senior leaders.
Chennai, Feb 22 (NationPress) Dissent is surfacing within the Tamil Nadu Congress over the leadership approach of state party President K. Selvaperunthagai following his call for applications for the positions of new district heads.
A faction of party leaders has consulted Girish Chodankar, the AICC secretary responsible for Tamil Nadu, to voice their concerns regarding Selvaperunthagai's leadership.
Selvaperunthagai, recognized as a grassroots leader with a reputation for his direct criticism of political rivals, is encountering resistance from a group of party members aligned with a Congress Member of Parliament from southern Tamil Nadu.
It is important to mention that the Tamil Nadu Congress is a participant in the INDIA bloc led by the DMK.
While the Congress and the DMK maintain a robust alliance, several Congress leaders are dissatisfied with the DMK's decision to take over the Erode East legislative Assembly seat, which was formerly held by late Congress leaders EVKS Elangovan and his son, Thirumagan Everaa.
Senior Congress leaders who met the AICC secretary in New Delhi on Friday reportedly attributed the DMK's failure to allocate the sitting seat in Erode East to Selvaperunthagai’s inefficiency.
The Congress party had a total of 18 legislators in the Tamil Nadu Assembly; however, following the denial to contest from Erode East, its strength has diminished to 17.
Notably, the party had only eight MLAs in the 2016 Assembly, marking an increase to the current 17.
With the DMK announcing 200 out of 237 seats for the INDIA bloc in the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections, the Congress high command is expected to grant Selvaperunthagai significant autonomy in party matters.
The TNCC president, marking his first anniversary in office, is a notable Dalit leader with considerable grassroots support.
Highly placed sources within the Tamil Nadu Congress suggest that Selvaperunthagai has the endorsement of senior party figures, including AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal.
According to insiders, approximately ten District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents are anticipated to be replaced with new candidates.
A Congress leader supporting Selvaperunthagai informed IANS that these transitions are being initiated due to underperformance, and with Assembly elections approaching in a year, the party is poised to make decisive changes based on feedback from the TNCC president.
Historically, the Congress party has occupied a secondary role in Tamil Nadu's political arena, which is predominantly influenced by the Dravidian parties—DMK and AIADMK. The party high command is now aiming to usher in a new phase for the Tamil Nadu Congress by initiating grassroots reforms and enacting leadership changes in critical districts.
