TN Congress backs TVK govt, vows to block Mekedatu dam and probe Ayodhya funds
Synopsis
Tamil Nadu Congress used its first major executive meeting under new chief Manickam Tagore to do three things at once: lock in its support for the Vijay-led TVK government, draw a hard line on Mekedatu, and turn the Ayodhya temple donations row into a national accountability demand. The breadth of the seven resolutions signals a party recalibrating for both state and national relevance.
Key Takeaways
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee formally endorsed support for the C.
Joseph Vijay -led TVK government at its Executive Committee meeting on 6 July in Chennai .
The party strongly opposed Karnataka's Mekedatu dam project, calling it contrary to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award and the 2018 Supreme Court judgment.
Congress demanded a Supreme Court -monitored SIT probe into alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple and sought its inclusion under the RTI Act .
The party criticised the Centre over fuel pricing, alleging consumers have not benefited from falling global crude prices over 12 years of high excise collections.
Mandal Congress Committees will be set up for every five polling booths to strengthen the party's grassroots network ahead of local body elections.
The meeting was chaired by new state President and MP B.
Manickam Tagore and attended by former Finance Minister P.
Chidambaram , among other senior leaders.
The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) on Monday, 6 July reaffirmed its support for the C. Joseph Vijay-led state government, resolved to intensify opposition to Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu dam project, and demanded a Supreme Court-supervised probe into the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Temple. The decisions emerged from a state Executive Committee meeting chaired by newly appointed state President and Member of Parliament B. Manickam Tagore at Satyamurthy Bhavan, Chennai, where seven key resolutions were adopted covering political strategy, governance, corruption, fuel pricing, and inter-state water disputes.
Congress Formally Endorses TVK Government Support
One of the central resolutions passed at the meeting formally endorsed the Congress decision to back the TVK-led government in Tamil Nadu. According to the resolution, the Congress Political Affairs Committee had decided on 5 May to support a government led by TVK President C. Joseph Vijay in order to prevent what the party described as attempts by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to install a government through the Governor. The committee also congratulated S. Rajeshkumar on assuming office as Tourism Minister and P. Viswanathan on becoming Higher Education Minister in the Vijay-led cabinet.
Mekedatu Dam: Congress Pledges Agitation to Protect Cauvery Farmers
The executive committee strongly opposed Karnataka's push to construct the Mekedatu dam, describing the project as contrary to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final award and the 2018 Supreme Court judgment. The resolution endorsed Manickam Tagore's recent statement that not 'even a single brick' should be laid for the project without Tamil Nadu's consent. The party pledged to launch agitations to safeguard the interests of Cauvery delta farmers if the project moves forward. This comes amid a long-running inter-state water dispute that has periodically flared into political confrontation between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Ayodhya Temple Donations: SIT Probe Demanded
On national issues, the committee demanded a Supreme Court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya. Referring to an ongoing police investigation into the alleged diversion of temple donations, the resolution alleged that 'several crores of rupees' had been siphoned off and sought greater transparency in the functioning of the temple trust. The party also demanded that information relating to Ram Temple administration be brought within the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, enabling public scrutiny of donation utilisation.
Fuel Prices and Organisational Restructuring
The meeting criticised the Union BJP government over fuel pricing, alleging that petrol and diesel prices rise whenever international crude oil prices increase, but reductions in global crude prices are not passed on to consumers. The committee claimed the Centre had collected massive revenues through excise duty over the past 12 years while consumers continued to bear the burden of high fuel prices. It also urged the Centre to ensure private oil companies reduce retail fuel prices in line with public sector oil marketing companies.
On the organisational front, the party resolved to accelerate its restructuring programme by deputing observers to every district to reorganise taluk, city, circle, and town panchayat Congress committees. It further resolved to establish Mandal Congress Committees for every five polling booths to strengthen the party's booth-level network ahead of future elections. District units were directed to conduct anti-corruption campaigns under the slogan 'Nenjam Nimir, Lancham Thavir' (Stand Tall with Self-respect, Avoid Bribery). The meeting also resolved to celebrate the 15 July birth anniversary of former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj with week-long programmes across Tamil Nadu.
Senior Leaders in Attendance
Several senior Congress figures attended the meeting, including former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Congress state in-charge Nivedita Alva, former state unit chiefs K.V. Thangabalu, M. Krishnasamy, Selvaperunthagai, and K.S. Alagiri, former Union Minister Thirunavukkarasar, and Members of Parliament Vijay Vasanth, Praveen Chakravarty, Vishnu Prasad, Sudha Ramakrishnan, Gopinath, and Christopher Tilak. The meeting also discussed strategies for forthcoming local body elections. With resolutions now formally adopted, the focus shifts to whether the party can translate pledges on Mekedatu, temple fund transparency, and booth-level strengthening into tangible political ground.
Point of View
National opposition narratives, and internal organisational repair simultaneously. The endorsement of the TVK government is notable for what it reveals: Congress is a junior partner in Tamil Nadu, and formalising that support now is partly about securing ministerial relevance before the next electoral cycle. The Mekedatu resolution is the most politically potent — Cauvery water rights have historically been a vote-mover in the delta districts, and a credible agitation threat gives Congress leverage it rarely enjoys in the state. The Ayodhya temple donations demand, however, risks being read as performative unless the party follows up with a concrete legal intervention in the Supreme Court. The booth-level restructuring pledge has been made before; execution, not resolution, is what the party has historically struggled with.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Tamil Nadu Congress support the TVK government?
The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee formally endorsed support for the C. Joseph Vijay-led TVK government, stating that its Political Affairs Committee had decided on 5 May to back the government in order to prevent what it described as BJP attempts to install a government through the Governor. The decision was ratified at the TNCC Executive Committee meeting on 6 July in Chennai.
What is the Mekedatu dam dispute and why does Tamil Nadu oppose it?
The Mekedatu dam is a proposed reservoir project by Karnataka on the Cauvery river. Tamil Nadu Congress opposes it on the grounds that it contradicts the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final award and a 2018 Supreme Court judgment, arguing the project would adversely affect Cauvery delta farmers in Tamil Nadu. The party has pledged to launch agitations if the project proceeds without Tamil Nadu's consent.
What has Congress demanded regarding the Ayodhya Ram Temple donations?
The TNCC has demanded a Supreme Court-monitored SIT probe into the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya, alleging that several crores of rupees were siphoned off. It has also called for Ram Temple administration to be brought under the RTI Act to allow public scrutiny of how donations are utilised.
Who attended the TNCC Executive Committee meeting on 6 July?
The meeting was chaired by new TNCC President and MP B. Manickam Tagore at Satyamurthy Bhavan, Chennai. Senior attendees included former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Congress state in-charge Nivedita Alva, Tourism Minister S. Rajeshkumar, former state chiefs K.V. Thangabalu, M. Krishnasamy, Selvaperunthagai, and K.S. Alagiri, and several Members of Parliament.
What organisational changes did Tamil Nadu Congress announce?
The party resolved to establish Mandal Congress Committees for every five polling booths to strengthen its booth-level network, and to depute observers to every district to reorganise taluk, city, circle, and town panchayat Congress committees. District units were also directed to conduct anti-corruption campaigns under the slogan 'Nenjam Nimir, Lancham Thavir' (Stand Tall with Self-respect, Avoid Bribery).
