Will reply to high command only: PC son tells state unit

He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his role behind the success of the BJP.

Karti Chidambaram, Congress leader and son of former Union minister P Chidambaram, has told the Tamil Nadu unit of the party that he would reply only to the party high command if he is asked to explain about his recent remarks.

Almost a week ago, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) had issued a show-cause notice to Karti for calling a meeting of party cadre and allegedly criticising party and veteran leader Kamaraj.

In a strong reply to the notice, Karti, who is an executive committee member of TNCC, wrote that only All India Congress Committee (AICC) is the only competent authority to send him a show-cause notice and he would reply to the central command of the party as he is an AICC member.

On January 20, Karti had organised an informal meeting of nearly 300 party members from 234 Assembly constituencies of the state that was named as ‘G67’. At the meeting, he told his supporters to forget the dream of capturing power in 2016 state elections.

Raising the need to project a CM candidate prior to the state elections, he also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his role behind the success of the BJP.

In his reply to TNCC chief EVKS Elangovan, Karti wrote he neither criticised the party nor its ideals. “Therefore there was nothing to seek or make explanation,” he said. He maintained that it was a private luncheon meet with his supporters. He later told The Indian Express that he stood by what he said about Prime Minister Narednra Modi at the meet. “My focus was not about Modi but about the future of the Congress party in Tamil Nadu. I was trying to share some ideas about a new economic model to be promoted by the Congress different from that of the DMK and the AIADMK,” he said.

Elangovan, however, slammed him. “Nobody will go by his claims that it was a private function. Moreover, I do not understand how he can criticise Congress high command and praise Modi at a time when the whole party is united to fight against the Modi government,” he said.

Story continues below this ad

The infighting in the state Congress unit was visible even after the party was split two months ago. Karti had then crtiticised the manner in which the national leadership had dealt with the state’s leaders.

Arun Janardhanan

Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority. Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews. Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor. Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu. Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More