Chennai: A day after the Tamil Nadu Congress passed a resolution warning action against leaders speaking publicly on alliance matters in a manner that causes confusion, party MP Manickam Tagore’s cryptic social media post has reignited speculation about internal dissent and the ongoing tussle with the DMK over power-sharing.
The Congress district leaders’ meeting, held in Chennai and attended by TNCC President Selvaperunthagai, AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, and state in-charge Krish Chodankar along with 75 district leaders, passed six resolutions. The key resolution mandated that no leader should make public statements regarding the party’s role in governance or comments that could create discord between alliance partners. The party leadership announced it would take action against anyone violating this directive.
The power-sharing impasse
The resolution comes against the backdrop of escalating demands from several Congress leaders, including Praveen Chakravarthy and Manickam Tagore, for a “share in the government” with the DMK including cabinet berths. They have argued that such representation is necessary to fulfill promises made to the people and to respect the sentiments of Congress workers.
However, the DMK has remained firm in its opposition. DMK president and chief Chief Minister M.K. Stalin recently stated categorically, “Coalition rule is not suitable for Tamil Nadu. We know this, they (Congress) know it too. Some people are conspiring to create unnecessary confusion.” DMK second-rung leaders have been vocal that the party is committed to forming a government on its own and sees no need to share power when in a strong position.
Sources indicate that the DMK has conveyed an indirect ultimatum: the Congress can remain in the alliance but without a share in government, and if it insists on power-sharing, it is free to leave. There are also suggestions that the DMK has sought action against leaders like Praveen Chakravarthy and Manickam Tagore for the alliance to continue smoothly.
Manickam Tagore’s poetic response
In this charged atmosphere, Manickam Tagore took to social media this morning with a post quoting Tamil poet Bharathiyar. The verse reads, “Good morning… Did you think I would fall like many funny people who spend their days searching for information, telling many small stories, feeling sad, doing many things that make others sad, and then turning gray and old and giving away their wealth?”
காலை வணக்கம் pic.twitter.com/d3naBChaBo
— Manickam Tagore .B🇮🇳மாணிக்கம் தாகூர்.ப (@manickamtagore) February 18, 2026
The post, while poetic, has been widely interpreted as a defiant response to attempts to silence him. It comes just a day after the Congress resolution and has set political circles abuzz with speculation about whether Tagore is signaling his unwillingness to toe the line quietly.
What lies ahead
The Congress now faces a delicate balancing act. On one hand, it must manage its relationship with the DMK, which has made its position on power-sharing unequivocally clear. On the other, it must address the aspirations of its own leaders and workers who see cabinet representation as essential for the party’s relevance and growth in Tamil Nadu. With elections approaching, how the Congress navigates this internal and alliance pressure will be closely watched.