Chennai: Eighteen district Congress committee (DCC) presidents on Saturday urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to act against TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai for his alleged unilateral approach, failure to consult senior functionaries and controversial fundraising practices.
The presidents suggested the leadership replace the TNCC chief with another dalit functionary – Lok Sabha member Sasikanth Senthil, former MPs P Viswanathan or K Jayakumar — if he failed to correct himself.
They earlier met Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal and AICC in-charge for TN, Girish Chodankar, in Delhi. The members handed over their representation at Rahul’s office.
“Selvaperunthagai has not held a meeting of DCC presidents since he took charge. He also doesn’t elicit the views of the elected representatives nor functionaries. He does not respect us at all,” M S Diraviyam, North Chennai DCC president, told TOI.
The DCC presidents raised six key issues with the Congress high command, including one related to the alleged controversial solicitation of donations by the TNCC president for appointments of DCC presidents, state and village committees office-bearers.
They drew the high command’s attention to “the criminal cases” allegedly faced by Selvaperunthagai.
“The presidents complained about Selvaperunthagai’s recent comments comparing DMK’s Dravidian model governance to that of Kamaraj rule. Rahul assured the presidents he would address their complaints,” another president said.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore recently expressed his objection to this comparison on X, escalating the tension between him and the TNCC chief. On Saturday, Selvaperunthagai defended his comment, attributing the MP’s remarks to a misunderstanding.