The Congress leadership in Delhi has appointed Manickam Thakur as the president of the party’s Tamil Nadu unit, an announcement said on Friday.
The change comes in the backdrop of the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly election, in which the Congress, as part of the DMK-led alliance, contested 28 seats but won only five. Then state Congress chief Selvaperunthagai also lost, and the party’s performance reportedly drew displeasure from the central leadership.
Soon after the results, the Congress exited the DMK alliance and extended support to the TAVEKA front, also securing a place in the cabinet. The decision had triggered internal differences within the party, with reports saying Selvaperunthagai favoured continuing with the DMK alliance while the Delhi leadership took an opposing stand.
Manickam Thakur has been among those responding sharply to the DMK’s criticism of the Congress after it joined the TAVEKA alliance, sources noted.
