Though the AIADMK-BJP alliance has contradictions in your view, they are trying to rally around allegations of corruption and deteriorating law and order against the DMK government. Won’t it resonate with the people?

It will not. Look at the statistics and compare the present situation with the number of murders, custodial deaths, and riots that happened during the previous AIADMK regime. They have definitely come down.

However, such incidents should be completely avoided in my view. Law and order situation should be improved further. Custodial deaths should never happen. The government cannot become complacent because the numbers have come down.

There is a perception that Congress is not strongly taking up protests on issues of public importance, unlike your other allies,  like the CPM, in Tamil Nadu’s context…

We are continuously protesting on important issues. Which issue have we ignored? In the recent custodial death (in Sivaganga), we have issued a strong statement. We supported the workers of Samsung India in their protest and urged the state government to find a solution. You can either attack the government or take up the issues in a congenial manner to get them resolved. We are doing the latter.

Since taking charge as TNCC president in February 2024, you have shown keenness to strengthen the party at the grassroots level. What is the progress?

We began diligently working on revamping the village-level committees, by appointing functionaries at panchayat-level, including presidents, secretaries and executive committees. We have already covered 72% of the roughly 12,500 villages in Tamil Nadu.

Importantly, hitherto, we did not have a database of our functionaries at the village-level. Now, we are issuing identity cards with QR-codes to all of them and their details are captured in a database.

Inspired by our model, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has now instructed other state units to follow suit. This initiative is transforming TNCC from a party with mass support to a structured, cadre-based organisation.

It’s been over 1.5 years since you became TNCC president. Yet, many district and state-level positions remain vacant.

All vacant posts will be filled soon. A list of names has already been sent to the AICC.

Are you taking steps to implement the Udaipur Declaration of AICC in 2022, which included “one person one post” and other such reformative measures?

Yes. TNCC has passed resolutions twice in our executive meetings, supporting the declaration. Measures to implement them are under way and announcements will be made in three months. There is support from the vast majority of the leaders and functionaries.

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