The All-India Congress Committee on Saturday announced a list of 32 vice-presidents, 57 general secretaries, 104 secretaries, 56 executive committee members, 5 ex-officio members and 32 district committee presidents for the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC).
The list has accommodated almost all leaders and their supporters — P. Chidambaram; TNCC president K.S. Alagiri; former presidents E.V.K.S. Elangovan, K.V. Thangkabalu, Su. Thirunavukkarasar, Kumari Ananthan and M. Krishnaswamy; and former MPs R. Prabhu and E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan. Ruby Manoharan has been appointed the treasurer.
However, MP Karti Chidambaram expressed his displeasure. “These jumbo committees serve no purpose. None will have any authority, which means no accountability,” he wrote on Twitter.
Rejecting his opinion, senior leader A. Gopanna, who has been appointed one of the vice-presidents, said such a big list was necessary to accommodate as many leaders as possible since the Congress was out of power for 50 years. “We are not in a position to give them posts in government. Offering a position in the party will encourage them to do election work. The list was finalised after many rounds of consultations with senior leaders,” he said.
Mr. Gopanna said Mr. Karti Chidambaram could have questioned the appointments had he worked to expand the party base. “Can he take credit for any work outside his Sivaganga constituency?” he asked.
A senior leader said it was an achievement because after the tenure of B.S. Gnanadesikan as the TNCC president, the central leadership was able to appoint office-bearers. “Leaders like Karti Chidambaram have family and social status... But we have ordinary people on the committee, and their position will get them recognition in their area,” he said.
