TNCC chief denies reports of Praveen, Vijay meeting

TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai on Saturday denied any knowledge about Congress functionary Praveen Chakravarty’s meeting with actor-politician Vijay on alliance and said this claim appeared illogical.

The Congress high command had already constituted a five-member committee under Girish Chodankar (AICC TN incharge) to hold discussions with DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin on seat-sharing, he stressed. The panel had called on Stalin, the leader of the Secular Progressive Alliance, on December 4 and informally commenced the process of discussing seat-sharing.

Selvaperunthagai, Congress Legislature Party leader Rajesh Kumar, and AICC secretaries Suraj MN Hegde and Nivedith Alva were the other members of the committee led by Chodankar.

The Congress, which won 18 out of 25 seats it contested in alliance with the DMK in the 2021 Assembly election, is aiming to contest more seats this time.

Responding to a question on the reported meeting between Chakravarty and Vijay, who heads the Tamilaga Vettri Kahagam, Selvaperunthagai replied, “I don’t know about it. The AICC has nominated a five-member committee under Girish Chodankar. What you say is astonishing. We are with the DMK.”

When the reporter persisted, the Congress leader said, “I really don’t know what to say. There was no coverage in the media to say the meeting took place. I can’t react to speculation.” He exuded the hope that the DMK would not underestimate the strength of Congress and that it would allot them a modest number of seats this time.