Chennai, 29 May (H.S.):Congress MP S. Jothimani has called for a comprehensive inquiry by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) into the Tamil Nadu Congress party’s constituency allocation and candidate selection process for the 2026 Assembly elections, alleging widespread irregularities and a lack of transparency that contributed to the party’s disappointing electoral performance.
In a strongly worded social media post, Jothimani reopened the debate over the Congress party’s election management in Tamil Nadu, claiming that constituencies were allocated to suit pre-selected candidates rather than being decided through a fair and merit-based process. She further alleged that large-scale corruption had taken place under the guise of election surveys conducted ahead of the polls.
Her remarks come against the backdrop of internal turmoil that marked the Congress campaign in the run-up to the Assembly elections. The candidate selection process had triggered significant discontent within the party, culminating in the resignation of senior Congress leader B. Manickam Tagore from the party’s election committee. The issue had also reportedly drawn criticism from Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Jothimani alleged that several long-serving party workers and leaders with strong grassroots support were ignored during ticket distribution. In contrast, she claimed, newcomers and individuals with limited electoral prospects were accommodated after constituencies were specifically negotiated and secured for them.
Questioning the rationale behind such decisions, the Karur MP pointed out that some candidates who were fielded by the party either became inactive soon after the elections or distanced themselves from the organisation altogether.
The Congress MP also criticised the recent move to constitute a committee to investigate alleged anti-party activities during the election. According to her, examining dissent without first investigating the ticket allocation and constituency-sharing process amounted to protecting those responsible for the alleged irregularities.
Jothimani noted that the committee overseeing constituency allocation and candidate selection was headed by former Tamil Nadu Congress in-charge Girish Chodankar. As per party rules, she argued, any allegations concerning the committee’s functioning could only be investigated by the AICC.
Emphasising the need for organisational reforms, Jothimani said restoring the confidence of grassroots workers required transparency, accountability and corrective action. She urged the Congress leadership to initiate electoral reforms beginning with Tamil Nadu, warning that internal irregularities could weaken the party’s ability to effectively challenge the BJP in the future.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
