politics

B. Manickam Tagore appointed Tamil Nadu Congress chief amid alliance shifts

Published on: 27 Jun 2026, 12:01 PM

Virudhunagar MP B. Manickam Tagore has been appointed as the president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC), the All India Congress Committee (AICC) announced on Saturday (June 27, 2026). AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal made the announcement in Chennai.

Tagore succeeds former Congress Legislative Party leader K. Selvaperunthagai, who led the party to a significant victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections but faced internal challenges within the state unit. The change in leadership comes as the Congress party has ended its long-standing alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) ahead of upcoming local body and Lok Sabha elections.

Sources indicated that Karur MP S. Jothimani and Sivaganga MP Karti Chidambaram had also expressed interest in the position. Tagore is known to be a close associate of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He has previously advocated for a greater share of power in the alliance with the DMK and has been a vocal critic of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Parliament and in public forums.

The appointment marks a strategic move by the Congress high command to consolidate the party's position in Tamil Nadu as it prepares for assembly elections in 2026. The party hopes to leverage Tagore's experience and his ability to engage with both allies and opponents.

Source: The Hindu

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