Chennai, April 1 (IANS) The resignation of senior Congress leader and Virudhunagar MP Manickam Tagore as chairman of the party’s Election Management and Coordination Committee has brought internal divisions within the Tamil Nadu unit into focus, just weeks ahead of the April 23 Assembly elections.

The development has highlighted simmering tensions over candidate selection and alliance dynamics within the party.

According to sources, disagreements among senior leaders intensified during the final stages of seat allocation, with multiple factions expressing differing views on constituency distribution and individual nominations. Tagore is understood to have conveyed his dissatisfaction over the process, particularly the manner in which key decisions were finalised.

Party insiders said the resignation is not an isolated incident but reflects deeper unease among sections of the leadership and grassroots workers. Concerns have reportedly been growing over the Congress party’s limited bargaining power within the alliance led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

Under the alliance arrangement, the Congress has been allotted 28 Assembly constituencies along with one Rajya Sabha seat. However, some leaders had pushed for a more substantive role in a potential post-election government.

Sources indicated that Tagore was among those seeking clearer assurances on cabinet representation if the alliance returns to power. However, the DMK leadership has maintained that the understanding is limited to seat-sharing, without any commitment on power-sharing at this stage.

The timing of the resignation is being seen as significant, coming at a crucial juncture when alliance partners have stepped up campaign efforts across the state.

Within the Congress, the move is being viewed as a signal of broader dissatisfaction among cadres, many of whom believe the party should assert a stronger role in governance after years of limited influence in Tamil Nadu politics.

Despite attempts by senior leaders to downplay the development, the resignation has added a layer of complexity to the electoral scenario. The DMK-led alliance is already facing a competitive contest from the AIADMK-led front as well as Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, which is entering the electoral fray for the first time.

As campaigning gathers momentum, the Congress leadership will need to address internal concerns swiftly to maintain unity and ensure that organisational issues do not affect its electoral prospects within the alliance.

–IANS

aal/pgh