Senior Congress leaders and cadres in Tamil Nadu had wanted the party to explore an alliance with T.Ve.K in the recently concluded Assembly election, according to party sources. The report says several national leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, also favoured that option.
However, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Selva Perunthakai insisted on continuing the alliance with the DMK. The negotiations reportedly saw sharp friction and were said to have neared a breaking point before being smoothed over with the involvement of senior leader P. Chidambaram, after which Congress stayed in the DMK-led front.
Sources further claim Rahul Gandhi was unhappy that Congress could not secure more favourable seats in the alliance talks. He allegedly refused to campaign initially, and later, after repeated requests, campaigned only in six of the 28 constituencies where Congress candidates were contesting, without sharing a stage with DMK leader M.K. Stalin.
The report also cites an incident at a campaign event in Sholingur, Ranipet district, where Selva Perunthakai allegedly mistranslated Rahul Gandhi’s speech, prompting Rahul to ask that he not be included in subsequent meetings. Party sources say Rahul later spoke to Selva Perunthakai in strong terms, blaming him for “ruining a good opportunity” and criticising organisational lapses.
With the election over, the Delhi leadership has reportedly begun the process of selecting a new Tamil Nadu Congress chief, and party functionaries believe an announcement is imminent.
