Congress Appoints Manickam Tagore as Tamil Nadu Chief, Signalling Shift from DMK to Vijay Alliance

The Congress party on Saturday appointed Lok Sabha Whip B Manickam Tagore as the president of its Tamil Nadu unit, replacing K Selvaperunthagai. The change comes weeks after the Congress ended its long-standing alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and joined the government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), marking the party's return to power in the state after nearly six decades.

Tagore, a three-time MP from Virudhunagar, was among the earliest and most vocal advocates within the Congress for ending the alliance with the DMK. He had argued for a larger political role for the party, demanded a greater share of Assembly seats, and suggested exploring an alliance with the TVK. These positions put him at odds with Selvaperunthagai, who favoured maintaining ties with the DMK.

Party insiders said the leadership change had been anticipated for weeks. A section of Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu and senior figures in New Delhi had grown dissatisfied with Selvaperunthagai's stewardship, particularly his reluctance to pivot towards the TVK. After the Congress joined the TVK government, Selvaperunthagai publicly criticised Chief Minister Vijay for mocking former Chief Minister M K Stalin in the Assembly and questioned the government's performance, despite being part of the coalition.

Selvaperunthagai had previously requested the party high command to relieve him of his post, citing shifting political equations. His tenure, which began in February 2024, was marked by internal dissent over candidate selection and the party's bargaining position within the DMK alliance. Senior leaders, including Tagore and Karur MP S Jothimani, questioned the transparency of the process.

Tagore, widely regarded as a trusted lieutenant of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and close to All India Congress Committee general secretary K C Venugopal, represents a generational and ideological shift in the party's Tamil Nadu unit. His elevation is seen as aligning the state unit with the party's new political strategy in the state.

Selvaperunthagai, who joined the Congress after stints in other parties, including the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), had acknowledged that his position became untenable after the alliance change. His departure underscores the Congress's efforts to reposition itself in Tamil Nadu's evolving political landscape.