Chennai, June 30:
Virudhunagar MP Manickam Tagore assumed charge as the President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) at Sathyamurthy Bhavan, delivering a strong political message amid internal and external challenges.
In his address, Tagore asserted that the Congress would retaliate against criticism from any party, including DMK, PMK, AIADMK, or BJP. “If the Congress is attacked, we will hit back—no matter which party it is,” he said, dismissing suggestions of friction with the DMK.
He reiterated the party’s firm opposition to the proposed Mekedatu dam, stating that neither the Centre nor Karnataka’s leadership should proceed with projects affecting Tamil Nadu’s interests. He also stressed that Rahul Gandhi remains the face of the Congress and expressed confidence in his leadership.
Highlighting organisational concerns, Tagore admitted that lack of internal communication had led to factionalism within the party and called for structural reforms to strengthen the TNCC.

