Congress MP Jothimani openly calls TVK's AIADMK MLA poaching "horse-trading" — says Congress cannot support all of TVK's practices; signals coalition tension

Congress's Karur MP S Jothimani, widely considered to be part of Rahul Gandhi's inner circle, came out openly against TVK's strategy of poaching AIADMK MLAs, describing it as "horse-trading" that her party would not support.

"The party cannot support all of TVK's practices," Jothimani stated — the clearest signal yet of internal discomfort within the ruling coalition over CM Vijay's aggressive AIADMK absorption strategy.

The statement carries significant weight: Congress has two ministers in the TVK Cabinet, making Jothimani's public criticism the first overt inter-party disagreement within the ruling coalition since the government was formed.

Political analysts have noted that Jothimani's closeness to Rahul Gandhi makes her statement especially significant — it may partly explain why the Vijay-Rahul Gandhi meeting was postponed during the Delhi visit.

The row highlights a fundamental tension in the TVK-led alliance: while TVK benefits from absorbing AIADMK MLAs to strengthen its legislative position, Congress sees the strategy as undermining democratic norms and potentially embarrassing the party at the national level.