Tamil Nadu Congress to get a new chief?

Speculation is rife that the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) might get a new President soon. It is believed that the Congress High Command wants a young leader to replace 68-year-old incumbent K S Alagiri, who led the party to success in the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 Assembly polls in an alliance with the DMK. 

Though there is no clarity on when the change of guard will take place, sources in Congress confirmed that the party has begun giving shape to the proposal for the change in leadership. Alagiri, a staunch loyalist of Congress veteran G K Moopanar, was appointed as TNCC chief in February 2019 just two months before the state went to Lok Sabha polls in April.

The leadership change is being considered, according to sources, because the BJP is making itself heard much more than other political parties in the state in the past year. Moreover, the saffron party has named former Karnataka-cadre IPS officer K Annamalai, 37, as its state unit chief with the BJP making its ambition clear. 

Sources said the leadership change is considered only with the aim to prepare the party for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. “There will be a change in the leadership. Incumbent Alagiri has completed 2.5 years in office and there is a distinct possibility of him being replaced. The new chief will be a young leader who will infuse confidence among youngsters,” a senior AICC leader told DH on the condition of anonymity.

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The names of Karur MP S Jothimani and Krishnagiri MP A Chellakumar are doing the rounds for the top post. Sivaganga MP Karti P Chidambaram has been quite vocal about his interest in the top post of the state unit. While Chellakumar is a former legislator having been with Congress since the 1980s, Jothimani is considered close to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. 

She was General Secretary and Vice President of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and has the ears of Gandhi. In fact, Gandhi had mentioned the names of Jothimani and another MP Manickam Tagore in response to questions about dynastic politics in Congress during media interviews. 

A senior TNCC leader said the leadership should not effect a change till about December when the state is expected to face local body elections. “There is no need for a change now. The PCC is doing fine, and there is no urgent need for replacing him. He should not be disturbed at least till the local body polls are over,” the leader added.