B Manickam Tagore appointed Tamil Nadu Pradesh Congress Committee President
New Delhi, June 27
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday appointed Congress MP Manickam Tagore as the President of the Tamil Nadu Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect.
The announcement was made through an official press release issued by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and signed by General Secretary KC Venugopal.
"Hon'ble Congress President has appointed Shri B. Manickam Tagore as the President of Tamil Nadu Pradesh Congress Committee, with immediate effect," the statement read.
Acknowledging the work of the outgoing state unit chief, K Selvaperunthagai, the release also added, "The party appreciates the contributions of outgoing PCC President, Shri K. Selvaperunthagai."
The organisational rejig comes at a time when Tamil Nadu's political landscape witnessed a major realignment today, with the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) officially withdrawing from the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA).
While the Congress moves to restructure its state unit, the broader alliance that once dominated the state's politics passed a resolution formally ending its nine-year-long association with the DMK-led bloc.
The party said it had joined and continued in the alliance out of ideological commitment to prevent "communal political forces" from gaining ground in Tamil Nadu and to uphold the principles of the Dravidian movement.
"It is an open secret that arrangements were made to install the AIADMK, which had won only 47 Assembly seats, in power by forging an alliance with Hindutva communal forces. As a result, the claims that the Secular Progressive Alliance was an alliance founded on ideology and principles were rendered meaningless," the resolution stated.
"Therefore, this General Council resolves that the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) shall withdraw from the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance," the resolution said.
The General Council further resolved that the party would take an appropriate decision on future electoral alliances at the time of elections.
Several former SPA allies, including the Congress, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Left parties and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), withdrew from the alliance after the Assembly elections and extended support to the TVK, enabling it to secure a majority and form the government.
In the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the results of which were announced on May 4, the TVK won 108 of the 234 seats, emerging as the single largest party. The election recorded a voter turnout of 85.1 per cent.
The DMK secured 59 seats, followed by the AIADMK with 47. Other parties that won seats included the Congress (5), Pattali Makkal Katchi (4), CPI (2), CPI(M) (2), IUML (2), VCK (2), DMDK (1), AMMK (1) and the BJP (1). The outcome marked the end of nearly six decades of dominance by the two principal Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu politics.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is just reorganising the deck chairs on the Titanic. Congress in TN has been a shadow of its former self for years. The fact that they only got 5 seats in 2026 says it all. Tagore is a good MP but this won't change much unless the party rethinks its strategy completely. DMK alliance is over, TVK is the new power. Wake up, Congress! 😤
The MDMK walking out of the DMK alliance is huge news! It shows the old Dravidian equations are truly breaking down. TVK has changed everything. I just hope this leads to more principled politics, not more confusion. Tagore has his work cut out—rebuilding Congress in this new landscape won't be easy. But maybe that's a good thing? Fresh start?
Look at the numbers—TVK 108, DMK 59. The old guard is finished. Congress with just 5 seats is almost irrelevant now. Tagore is a decent leader but this appointment feels like a symbolic move. The real question is: will Congress align with TVK or try to go solo? Either way, they need to address why people abandoned them. Playing second fiddle isn't working anymore.
Finally some change in TN Congress! Selvaperunthagai had a tough time, hopefully Tagore brings new energy. But the MDMK leaving the SPA is a bigger story—Vaiko's party was with DMK for ideological reasons, and now they say those reasons are gone. The 2026 results have really shaken things up. In Tamil Nadu, nothing stays the same for long! 🤔
R Raghav A