CHENNAI: Tension within the Congress party over candidate selection has come to the fore, with Congress MP Manickam Tagore submitting his resignation as chairman of the state election management and coordination committee. Manickam Tagore’s resignation comes at a time when the All India Congress Committee (AICC) is yet to finalise its list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly election in the state.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Mahila Congress workers protested at Satyamurthy Bhavan, demanding a seat for their president Hazeena Syed. Similarly, Congress Seva Dal workers staged protests inside the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) headquarters seeking a seat in or around Chennai for their leader Vijayan.
Among the alliance partners in the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), the Congress was the first to finalise its share of seats after days of tough bargaining with the DMK securing 28 seats, three more than what it contested in the 2021 Assembly election. Of these, 16 are sitting seats, while 12 are new constituencies.
Sources familiar with the developments told TNIE that internal disagreements among Tamil Nadu Congress functionaries surfaced during meetings with the party’s central leadership over constituency selection.
Candidate list to be finalised in 2 days, says Congress leader
“Although there are enough aspirants for the 12 new constituencies, these areas lack a strong Congress presence on the ground to secure a win without relying on alliance partners. For instance, Melur and Usilampatti in Madurai district, and Sankarankovil (reserved) in Tenkasi, lack sufficient grassroots support. These were chosen by TNCC leaders to field their supporters,” a source said.
Karur MP Jothimani, who is also a member of the state election management and coordination committee, had earlier expressed discontent. In a post on X on March 27, she alleged a lack of transparency in the party’s constituency and candidate selection process.
A senior Congress leader, also an MP, said there were at least 100 aspirants for the 28 seats. “Unlike other parties in the alliance, we are the oldest party and must accommodate as many aspirations as possible within the limited seats available. The list must also reflect diversity, including women and minorities. Since April 6 is the deadline for filing nominations, there is still time to take a decision,” he said.
A Congress leader camping in Delhi told TNIE that the candidate list would be finalised within a day or two.