K Selvaperunthagai
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As in 2024 Feb
Arun Janardhanan, Feb 18, 2024: The Indian Express
Sriperumbudur MLA is first Cong leader from Dalit community since L Ilaya Perumal in 1979 to be appointed TNCC president, edging out two party leaders close to Rahul Gandhi.
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) leadership’s decision to replace K S Alagiri with K Selvaperunthagai as the Tamil Nadu party chief has evoked mixed reactions among the state party leaders owing to Selvaperunthagai’s vocal position on the Dalit issues and his past association with Tamil nationalism or even being labelled as an “LTTE sympathiser”.
Selvaperunthagai edged out two party leaders — Karur MP S Jothimani and former IAS officer Sasikanth Senthil, both considered close to Rahul Gandhi – in the race to become the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president.
A senior TNPCC leader said Senthil and Jothimani are “known for their diligent and no-nonsense approach but need grooming”. “There are concerns over Jothimani’s skills to unify factions and maintain alliances. On the other hand, Senthil can be a transformative leader for the party akin to the BJP’s K Annamalai but he needs to integrate with the state and district-level units of the party,” the leader said.
Selvaperunthagai’s appointment was made after AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge reportedly insisted on having a Dalit face for the party in the state. Despite Senthil being in consideration, the MLA’s elevation shows how Kharge had the final say in the matter.
A senior state Congress leader, who is closely associated with the AICC, denied any such differences in the top leadership, especially at a time when the party is seeing multiple high-level defections involving senior leaders like former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan.
“A senior MLA from Tamil Nadu has met senior BJP leaders over the last two days seeking to contest the Kanyakumari or Trichy Lok Sabha seat after the Congress refused to entertain her demand. These instances lead to questions about loyalty and unity among the rank and file of the Congress. In such a scenario, how is Selvaperunthagai any lesser? He is neither anyone who has disproportionately benefited from the Gandhis nor an average face and is one of the most active faces of the party in the Assembly,” the leader said.
However, a section of Congress leaders argued that the party high command overlooked his past affiliations and the “LTTE sympathiser” tag while making the appointment. “He was an LTTE sympathiser and this shaped his political decisions. I do not know how they (high command) ignored this,” a party leader, who did not wish to be named, said.
In the 2016 polls, former four-time Congress MLA from Sriperumbudur D Yasoda protested after the party decided to field Selvaperunthagai from the constituency, alleging that he was pro-LTTE. Reports also emerged that some Congress leaders were caught unaware over the party’s move.
Another leader countered the argument, saying “everyone in the state has sympathy or empathy for the LTTE”. “Some do it silently but Selvaperunthagai has been vocal,” the leader said.
Some Congress leaders point out that the Sriperumbudur MLA’s effective role as the party floor leader in the state Assembly since the DMK came to power in 2021 and his strong opposition to both the AIADMK and the BJP played an important role in his elevation to the post of the TNPCC chief. Selvaperunthagai’s proximity to the DMK was also seen as a factor that tilted the scales in his favour.
A senior TNPCC leader, though initially expressing surprise over the appointment, said he would support Selvaperunthagai as it was imperative to focus on his opposition to the BJP rather than his past. A section of leaders also sees him as a figure of resilience for warding off attempts by other parties to effect defection.
A senior DMK minister said Selvaperunthagai was “one of the finest MLAs” in the alliance. “We have many allies and MLAs but very few like Selvaperunthagai fight the AIADMK and BJP consistently in the House,” he said. The DMK rules the state in alliance with the Congress, VCK and the Left parties.
Bringing in Selvaperunthagai to steer the state Congress unit is also being seen as the party leadership’s attempt to blend its values with the realities of regional politics in order to consolidate the party’s position against the BJP and the AIADMK. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the DMK-led alliance had won 38 of the 39 seats in the state.
Former TNPCC chief S Thirunavakkarasar, who himself had switched from the AIADMK and the BJP to the Congress, said there was no point criticising someone’s past as everyone has one.
Thirunavakkarsar said the Sriperumbudur MLA’s elevation is significant as he is the first leader from the Dalit community since L Ilaya Perumal in 1979 to be appointed as the state Congress chief. “Selvaperunthagai’s achievements as an MLA, SC wing president and floor leader are commendable. As a part of the Congress’ property recovery committee, he was instrumental in the recovery of over 200 properties the party had lost. I hope he can take everyone – juniors and seniors – together while taking the party forward,” he said.
