Congress leader Manickam Tagore has reacted sharply to reports that allies of Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK – with whom the Congress will contest next year's Assembly election – has called for action against the national party's data unit chief, Praveen Chakravarthy.
Tagore said comments urging senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, to act against Chakravarthy raised a "fundamental question".
"When did alliance partners start dictating to the Congress how it should handle its internal matters? Would these parties accept such public pronouncements on their own affairs?"
"Alliances are built on mutual respect – not on public pressure politics. If there are any differences of opinion, they should be discussed within the alliance forums, not through media statements," Tagore declared.
"Criticising the internal functioning of an alliance partner in the public domain sets a dangerous precedent; it will only weaken the collective strength against the BJP-RSS combine."
"This will also hurt the self-respect of party cadres."
Chakravarthy's comment, DMK leaders' pushback, and Tagore's comments today have all been pounced upon by the BJP as it tries to get a political foothold in Tamil Nadu, a state that has historically rejected its muscular brand of religious nationalism. BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan responded to Tagore's post with one of his own, proclaiming a breakdown of Congress-DMK ties.
"The DMK-Congress INDI alliance in Tamil Nadu is a completely divided house which is imploding by the day and heading to a dismal defeat in the upcoming Assembly polls."
"The alliance seems to be in total tatters given the way in which a Congress MP has pretty much asking his allies to mind their own business and not interfere… The people of Tamil Nadu know that they deserve better than this unprincipled opportunistic bloc."
Chakravarthy stirred up a storm Wednesday over an X post that compared, unfavourably, debt levels of Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. The chief of a Congress body for working professionals, he said Tamil Nadu "has the highest outstanding debt among all states" and called its debt levels "alarming", pointing to high interest payments and a high debt-to-GDP ratio.
Chakravarthy's post was in response to a comment by DMK MP Kanimozhi praising her party for having "transformed Tamil Nadu into an advanced (and) developed state".
Predictably, Chakravarthy's comment drew biting responses from the Tamil party, with the state's Industries Minister, Dr TRB Rajaa, leading the charge.
Dr Rajaa was dismissive of the apparent slap-down; "… please avoid engaging with anyone with private agendas. We have a larger war to fight with those trying to curtail the growth of Tamil Nadu. Beware of unwanted distractions," he said on X, ending with internet slang "IYKYK."
The Congress rushed to its ally's defence.
Party MP Jothimani called it 'unfair' to compare the two states and highlighted Tamil Nadu's achievements in education, healthcare, industrial growth, and social justice.
It is unfair to compare Tamil Nadu with Uttar Pradesh.
— Jothimani (@jothims) December 28, 2025
Tamil Nadu one of the top state in the country in education, healthcare, industrial investment, social justice, urban infrastructure and effective welfare delivery. Uttar Pradesh still struggles on most human development… https://t.co/BLTB4wLFIy
Unsurprisingly the BJP has pounced, gleefully, on Chakravarthy's remark.
Former state unit chief K Annamalai accused the DMK of distorting data to claim an 'advanced economy' and stressed the doubling of debt under the rival party's government.
And party spokesperson CR Kesavan mocked the Congress for a "self goal".
"The Congress does a shocking self-goal to expose the disastrous failure model DMK government. Does Rahul Gandhi concur with this view... d the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and his deputy agree with this damning view of their ally... disastrous DMK government is similar to a directionless car..."
The Congress does a shocking self-goal to expose the disastrous failure model DMK Govt. Does Rahul Gandhi concur with this view that the DMK Govt has utterly failed the people of Tamilnadu? Do the Tamilnadu CM and Deputy CM agree with this damning view of their ally, the… pic.twitter.com/0NRA1IHcEI
— C.R.Kesavan (@crkesavan) December 29, 2025
This back-and-forth will rumble on yet but the potentially bigger story is the timing of the X post.
Days earlier Aadhav Arjuna, from actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam – which has declared the DMK its 'political enemy' and vowed to bring down Chief Minister MK Stalin's government – hinted at a possible deal with the Congress, leading to talk about shifting political equations in the state.
Arjuna's remark followed the Congress reportedly demanding as many as 76 of the state's 234 seats in next year's election. The Congress also wanted a share of ministerial power in the event of re-election.
RECAP | Congress Seeks Larger Role In Tamil Nadu Seat-Sharing Talks
In the 2021 election the party contested 25 seats and won 18 – an impressive 72 per cent strike rate – but its fortunes have nosedived in elections since, capped by November's Bihar rout.
The Congress' argument is that the DMK cannot win a second consecutive term without its help, particularly since its votes are crucial in pockets where the DMK's presence is relatively poor.
The Congress-DMK relationship remains amiable, so far, though that could change, quickly, if seat-share talks go badly or if the row over Chakravarthy's comment spirals, which it likely will with the BJP, and its state ally, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, taking aim.
Should that relationship break down, election observers suggest the Congress could shift its weight behind Vijay's TVK, an electoral newcomer that has rapidly become a dark horse.
The TVK has made it clear it will not ally with the DMK or the BJP. Vijay has been much softer in his attacks on the AIADMK, from whom he also poached campaign strategist KA Sengottaiyan.
