CHENNAI — Congress MP S Jothimani alleged massive irregularities in the Tamil Nadu Congress party's candidate selection and constituency allocation process for the April 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. The party won only five seats in the election.

Jothimani claimed the selection process was heavily compromised, with tickets awarded to newcomers and candidates with poor electoral prospects under the guise of surveys that masked large-scale corruption. She stated that senior party workers with decades of service and genuine winning potential were sidelined in favor of individuals who either left the party or became inactive shortly after the election.

She identified Girish Chodankar, the AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu, as the head of the committee responsible for constituency allocation and candidate selection. Jothimani asserted that, according to Congress party rules, allegations against a committee led by an AICC in-charge can only be investigated by the All India Congress Committee, not by the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee.

Jothimani argued that the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee's inquiry into anti-party activities is a facade designed to shield those involved in candidate selection irregularities. She questioned who gave opportunities to certain candidates, on what basis they were selected, and what action had been taken against those responsible for the alleged mistakes.

She urged the Congress party high command to conduct a proper investigation into the Tamil Nadu Assembly election process and take strict action against those responsible for irregularities to restore party workers’ confidence. Jothimani emphasized that internal irregularities are eroding the confidence of Congress party workers and that grassroots voices must be respected for the party to succeed politically. She called for electoral reforms in the Congress party to begin from Tamil Nadu, stressing the need for honesty and transparency.