Speculations rife on change of guard at helm in TNCC

CHENNAI: The scuffle at state Congress headquarters Sathyamurthy Bhavan has triggered fresh speculations about change of guard at the helm of TNCC (Tamil Nadu Congress Committee).

Critics of incumbent TNCC president KS Alagiri within the party have started feeding the media that the national high command of the Congress would perceive this an opportune moment to change the TNCC president. Murmurs are heard on Sathyamurthy Bhavan corridors that the AICC might take a serious view of the November 15 scuffle and pull up Alagiri, who would be completing his fourth year as TNCC president come January.

Names of Karur MP S Jothimani, Sivaganga MP Karti P Chidambaram and another former MP from Chennai region are doing the rounds as likely successors of Alagiri.

A TNCC senior, unwilling to be quoted, said that the high command would not allow the incumbent to continue for long as four years is a very long period by all established Congress standards. “He (Alagiri) has already led the party during a Lok Sabha and Assembly poll in the state. The high command is unlikely to allow him to oversee another Lok Sabha elections,” the senior leader reasoned, admitting that the timing of the change of guard was uncertain.

When asked, a senior leader close to Alagiri said, “Replacement of a TNCC president after nearly four years is imminent, but not immediate. AICC is engrossed in Gujarat and Himachal polls. The high command is contemplating a revamp at the top level after Mallikarjuna Kharge took over. So, TNCC is low on their priority. No change in TNCC leadership is certain till March 2023.” Confidence of Alagiri-haters in the Congress was lifted by the visit of a few former TNCC leaders to Delhi. The former state chiefs, EVKS Elangovan, KV Thangkabalu and Krishnasamy were learned to have summarily blamed Alagiri for the fisticuff last week.

Asked about the likely successor of Alagiri, another TNCC member tersely said, “Let them set the AICC in order first. The high command has not changed the organisaion in Delhi so far. Once it is done and the party machinery is oiled there, they shall come to TNCC.”