Who Will Decide the Congress Alliance Strategy for TN Assembly Polls?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Girish Chodankar confirms AICC will finalize alliance strategies.
- Internal reforms and leadership changes are underway.
- Candidate selection for Assembly elections has started.
- Feedback from local leaders is crucial for alliance decisions.
- Performance of new district leaders will be monitored closely.
Chennai, Jan 20 (NationPress) Senior Congress figure Girish Chodankar, overseeing Tamil Nadu, announced on Tuesday that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) will finalize the alliance strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections, after gathering insights from local party leaders.
After the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) Working Committee meeting at Sathyamurthy Bhavan in Chennai, Chodankar emphasized that the party is currently in a period of organizational restructuring and internal strengthening prior to the significant elections.
This meeting, called by the TNCC, saw attendance from approximately 61 members, despite invitations sent to 91 leaders.
Reports indicated that around 30 leaders were absent, including notable Congress members such as P. Chidambaram, K.S. Alagiri, Jyothimani, and Manickam Tagore.
Instances of brief disruptions and intense discussions were reported during the closed-door talks, highlighting existing internal divisions within the party.
Regarding these matters, Chodankar mentioned that Congress is implementing numerous organizational reforms this year. As part of this initiative, new district-level Congress leaders have been appointed throughout Tamil Nadu.
Their performance will be evaluated over a six-month timeline, with Chodankar stating, “If any district president is deemed inactive or ineffective, the party will not hesitate to make changes,” indicating a more rigorous accountability system.
On the topic of election readiness, Chodankar confirmed that the candidate selection process for the Assembly elections has already commenced.
Applications from candidates eager to run have been received, and interviews will take place soon. “Based on these discussions and organizational feedback, candidates will be selected at the appropriate time,” he stated.
When asked if Congress would maintain its alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led coalition, Chodankar mentioned that feedback has been sought from party leaders statewide.
“Leaders have expressed their preferences regarding alliances. Considering these opinions, the AICC leadership will make the final decision,” he added.
He conveyed optimism that the ultimate decision would align with the party’s broader political goals and satisfy the expectations of Congress members and supporters as the Assembly elections draw near.