Karti Chidambaram, Member of Parliament from Sivaganga constituency and son of former Union finance minister P. Chidambaram, is in the running to become the next Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president. The current TNCC chief, K. S. Alagiri, is in talks with party high command, including AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and AICC general secretary (Organisation) K. C. Venugopal, before he completes his five-year tenure. Sources suggest that the decision for the next president will be sought from the outgoing president, Alagiri.
Though former IAS officer Sashikanth Senthil is currently the favourite to become the next TNCC president, Karti’s excellent rapport with the DMK, the Congress top leadership, and Sashikanth Senthil himself puts him in a strong position. Karti shares a close relationship with the DMK’s Kanimozhi and has previously organised a cultural event with her in Coimbatore. Additionally, the Sivaganga MP enjoys a personal bond with DMK leader Stalin, which is beneficial for the Congress.
Other candidates in the running include Karur MP S. Jothimani, Krishnagiri MP Chellakumar, and Virudhunagar MP Manicakam Tagore. It is pertinent to mention that Karti’s status as the son of Chidambaram, a leader with significant influence in the Congress, a national leadership that has a soft corner for the Sivaganga MP.
The recent developments in the political landscape of TN, with the change of guard at the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), could be a factor that plays out in the selection of the next TNCC president and the future of the Congress in TN.