Published May 26, 2026 | 11:03 AM ⚊ Updated May 26, 2026 | 12:57 PM
Tamil Nadu Congress MP Jothimani.
Synopsis: Karur MP Jothimani said that the party, despite being an alliance partner of TVK and part of the state government, cannot support any political moves that weaken democracy, including “horse-trading politics”. She stressed that the party could not endorse every political method adopted by TVK, particularly if such methods weakened democratic values.
Congress MP Jothimani, representing the Karur constituency in Tamil Nadu, said on Tuesday, 26 May, that the party, despite being an alliance partner of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and part of the state government, cannot support any political moves that weaken democracy, including “horse-trading politics”.
In a strongly worded statement, Jothimani said the people of Tamil Nadu elected TVK leader C Joseph Vijay as the chief minister with expectations of a good government, and added that there are clear indications that he understands this responsibility.
Meanwhile, another Congress MP, Manickam Tagore, appeared to indirectly criticise Jothimani through a post on X amid the ongoing debate over “horse-trading politics” and internal criticism.
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Jothimani said Congress would stand firmly with the government as an alliance partner to help deliver effective governance to the people of Tamil Nadu. However, she stressed that the party could not endorse every political method adopted by TVK, particularly if such methods weakened democratic values.
“Any political approach must strengthen democracy, not weaken it,” she said, adding that expressing differing opinions within an alliance is both morally and politically correct. Referring to the Tamil literary phrase “thozhamai suttuthal” (friendly criticism), she said constructive criticism among allies was a democratic necessity.
Jothimani further stated that no one in the Congress party could justify horse-trading politics. She accused the BJP of repeatedly using defections and political inducements as a weapon to weaken democracy and destabilise Congress governments in several states across India, often acting against the people’s mandate.
She asserted that the Congress party could never adopt a dual stand by opposing horse-trading outside Tamil Nadu while supporting it within the state.
“If Congress becomes a force that weakens democracy, it would amount to a historic betrayal of the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and the party’s core principles,” she said.
Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Jothimani said he has been fighting uncompromisingly for ideological principles, and warned that any attempt to weaken that struggle could not be accepted, irrespective of who was involved.
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In his post, Tagore questioned the silence of certain leaders when Congress and its national leadership were allegedly targeted earlier this month.
Referring to an incident on 23 May, he said slogans such as “Congress down” and “Rahul Gandhi down” were raised in the presence of DMK President MK Stalin.
He further alleged that on the same day, a faction associated with Udhayanidhi Stalin passed a resolution describing Congress as a “parasite” and a “traitor”.
Tagore also claimed that on 25 May, Stalin had attacked Congress by saying the party’s “fake anti-BJP politics” was being exposed.
“Back then, there was silence. Not even a single X post, not even a sound bite, not even a condemnation,” he wrote.
He then added that only now some “experts in friendly criticism” had begun offering advice, in what is being viewed as an indirect dig at Jothimani following her recent remarks defending ideological consistency and opposing “horse-trading politics.”
(With inputs from Subash Chandra Bose.)
