AICC reorganization clears decks for TNCC chief aspirants

CHENNAI: Reorganization of the AICC has triggered fresh speculation about the appointment of a new State Congress chief and also cleared the decks for a few aspirants vying for the coveted post.

If the AICC decides to change the leadership of the TNCC, which is speculated to be on the cards for some time now, at least a couple of names could be confidently struck off the list.

The elevation of incumbent MPs Manickam Tagore and Dr Chellakumar as general secretaries in charge of Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya/Mizoram/Arunachal Pradesh, respectively, has lifted the hopes of a few aspirants in the race for TNCC helm. Highly placed TNCC sources said that the appointment of Dr Ajoy Kumar as AICC general secretary in charge of Tamil Nadu was an indication that the TNCC guard change was on the cards.

"TNCC had no general secretary to oversee its affairs ever since national secretary Dinesh Gundu Rao became a minister in the Congress cabinet in Karnataka early this year. Appointment of AICC in-charge was the first step in the TNCC president appointment process. Now that the process has been completed, the high command will contemplate the appointment of a new TNCC president, " said a senior TNCC leader.

The high command communicated its intentions to the senior state leaders and aspirants who met and persuaded the AICC leadership to replace incumbent K S Alagiri who is one of the longest serving TNCC presidents.

Alagiri took over as TNCC president a few months prior to the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Early this year, a group of senior TNCC leaders, including former union minister P Chidambaram had met Mallikarjuna Kharge and sought a change at the TNCC helm, which is said to have evoked an affirmative reply from the AICC end.

As recently as a month ago, Karti Chidambaram had also petitioned Rahul Gandhi to appoint him TNCC president, replicating Telangana where the Congress successfully appointed a young turk Revanth Reddy and captured power. "Though the AICC was aware that appointment of a relatively young person as TNCC chief could help fast track the party affairs here, capturing power was still more than a long shot in Tamil Nadu. At least the party needs someone who could travel a lot and connect with the people better. Now that the AICC general secretary is available, the national leadership would actively consider the question, " said a state level Congress functionary.

The national leadership does not prefer giving two posts to the same person. Barring exceptional cases like senior AICC leaders or state level leaders from Congress ruled states or states where the party is in a position to capture power, chances of one 'leader' securing two posts in the state is a remote possibility. Appointment of Tagore and Chellakumar as general secretaries in charge of other states is an indication that the AICC does not want to consider them for TNCC president now, unless it changes its mind and reverses the decision. So, decks have been cleared for the likes of Karti Chidambaram, S Jothimani and Sasikanth Senthil, added another TNCC leader on condition of anonymity.