Fulfilled my duties: Tamil Nadu Congress chief offers to resign after assembly polls

Tamil Nadu Congress chief Selvaperunthagai said he has fulfilled his responsibilities and will step down after the Assembly election results, in which he is also a candidate.

In Short

• Tamil Nadu Congress chief says fulfilled party duties
• Offers to resign from post after April 23 Assembly polls
• Selvaperunthagai contests from Sriperumbudur seat

Congress’s Tamil Nadu unit chief Selvaperunthagai on Friday said he would step down from his post after the upcoming election, stating that he wants to focus on serving the people of his constituency.

The announcement came hours after he was named as the party’s candidate for the April 23 Assembly polls from the Sriperumbudur constituency in Kanchipuram district.

“Once the results are out, I will consult with our all-India leadership and dedicate myself exclusively to serving both my constituency and the state of Tamil Nadu,” Selvaperunthagai told the media, expressing confidence in his victory.

“My commitment, once the election results are declared, will lie entirely with the people of my constituency. There will be absolutely no deviation from this pledge,” he added.

Explaining the rationale behind his decision, he said one should step down from a position with a sense of fulfilment, noting that he has discharged all responsibilities entrusted to him by the party.

“Two years ago, when the by-election responsibility was entrusted to me, I carried it out with special dedication and earned your trust, delivering a resounding 100 per cent victory. In Puducherry, too, we achieved a 100 per cent strike rate across nine constituencies. In this election as well, we are poised to repeat that performance,” he said.

He further remarked, “When a person steps down from a position, they should do so with a sense of fulfilment. I step down with that same satisfaction. Once the results are out, I will have no pressure or anxiety about whether I continue as leader for the next five years.”

However, Selvaperunthagai said he would accept whatever role the party assigns to him.

Earlier in the day, the Congress announced a list of 27 candidates for the April 23 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

According to the list, Selvaperunthagai will contest from the Sriperumbudur (SC) constituency, while Congress Legislature Party leader S Rajesh Kumar has been fielded from Killiyoor, and former MP A Chella Kumar from Krishnagiri.

The Congress will contest 28 of the 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu as part of its alliance with the ruling DMK. The results will be declared on May 4.

- Ends