BJP Spokesperson CR Kesavan Slams Congress Over Internal Rift in Tamil Nadu
BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan launched a scathing attack on the Congress party in Tamil Nadu on Saturday, asserting that the opposition party is grappling with a "deep divide" and internal chaos. His remarks came in response to Congress MP Jothimani publicly voicing concerns about a lack of transparency in the party's constituency selection process ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Kesavan's Social Media Critique
In a detailed post on social media platform X, Kesavan elaborated on his criticism, linking the current developments to a broader pattern of disarray within the Congress party nationwide. "Rahul Gandhi's Congress is a deeply divided house and is in total disarray in Tamil Nadu," he wrote. "Their Party MP from TN is now publicly attacking Congress leadership for having no transparency. There is a definite pattern to this."
The BJP leader referenced an incident from the Bihar elections where Congress workers reportedly surrounded Rahul Gandhi's point person over allegations of ticket-selling. "This is why the Compromised Congress has lost credibility with people across the country," Kesavan added, extending his criticism to the DMK-Congress alliance in Tamil Nadu.
He described the alliance as "opportunistic" and claimed it is "in tatters." Kesavan further condemned the DMK government's administration, labeling it as "one of the worst regimes in the history of Tamil Nadu" and predicting its categorical rejection by voters in the upcoming elections.
Jothimani's Transparency Concerns
The political firestorm was ignited by Congress MP Jothimani's public statements questioning her own party's constituency selection methodology. In her post on X, she alleged that decisions were made in a "highly secretive manner" without proper discussion or transparency.
"There is absolutely no transparency in the Congress party's constituency selection," Jothimani wrote. "Our view that constituency selection should be done only after transparency and extensive discussion has not been accepted by the responsible leaders. Everything happened in a highly secretive manner."
Expressing deep disappointment, she added that "the welfare of the Congress party has been entirely compromised" and described it as "heartbreaking" to see individuals benefiting from the hard work of long-time party workers without proper acknowledgment.
Warning About Electoral Consequences
Jothimani issued a stern warning about potential repercussions for the Congress party in Tamil Nadu if similar practices continue during candidate selection. "One cannot remain silent in the face of this terrible situation without raising questions," she emphasized.
Highlighting the importance of party workers, she noted: "The party is not just the responsible leaders, the state president, and the legislative party leader. The sentiments and labour of lakhs of workers are what make the party."
The MP suggested detailed discussions once the final list is released but cautioned: "If candidate selection is also going to happen with this same selling approach, no one can save the Congress party in Tamil Nadu."
DMK Alliance Preparations and Seat Allocation
These political developments unfold as the DMK-led alliance intensifies preparations for the forthcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has announced that its iconic 'Rising Sun' symbol will be contested in approximately 175 constituencies across the state.
So far, the DMK alliance has allocated seats to nine political parties:
- Congress: 28 seats
- MDMK: 4 seats
- IUML: 2 seats
- MMK: 2 seats
- KMDK: 2 seats
- CPI: 5 seats
- CPM: 5 seats
- VCK: 8 seats
- DMDK: 10 seats
This initial allocation totals 66 seats for alliance partners, with seven of these contests to be fought under the DMK symbol itself. With remaining allocations pending, the DMK is expected to directly contest 168 seats. When combined with the seven allied candidates using the Rising Sun symbol, the total reaches 175 seats under the DMK banner.
Tamil Nadu is scheduled to conduct its Assembly elections in a single phase on April 23, with vote counting set for May 4. The political landscape continues to evolve as parties finalize their strategies and address internal challenges ahead of the crucial electoral battle.
