Strengthening the Congress is the need of the hour, says Selvaperunthagai

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperunthagai says the Congress has its own history and ideology to include everyone within its fold and that strengthening the party is the need of the hour.

Within a week of the DMK-led INDIA bloc getting a resounding mandate by winning all 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Pudhucherry, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K. Selvaperunthagai on Tuesday cast a shadow over the alliance as he reignited the debate over whether the Congress should continue its dependence on the DMK or seek to expand its base independently.

At a party event in Chennai, he said the Congress had its own history and ideology to include everyone within its fold, and it was the right of the party to say that “it will form Kamarajar’s rule”.

“We have 99 MPs and two independents have joined us (nationally). Thirty-one of those MPs are from Scheduled Castes/Schedule Tribes communities. Around 33% of the votes has come back to the party. The wheels of history are changing. What direction are we going to take? Alliance solidarity is different, but how long are we going to be dependent on an alliance partner,” he said.

While Mr. Selvaperunthagai’s call for an open debate set the stage, speeches by Congress leaders E.V.K.S Elangovan and Peter Alphonse praising the DMK and its president M.K. Stalin for the victory in the recent election, were met with dissent.

Former TNCC president K.S. Alagiri said there was no connection between being in an alliance and being strong as a party.

“Who can stop us from becoming strong? Nobody can deny that we have roots here in Tamil Nadu. It was nurtured by Kamarajar (former Chief Minister). There are always 500 people wherever we go, we are able to mobilise a big crowd. No party can survive without power for 50 years. People are eager to see (our leader) Rahul Gandhi. So, this support should be accommodated within the party structure,” he said.

Responding to a suggestion that the Congress should at least contest the local body election that are due in the next few months without an alliance, Karur MP Jothimani said the cadre often pawn their jewels to contest these elections. Therefore, without financial support from the party and an alliance partner, it would not be fair to the candidates.