Marthandam (Tamil Nadu), March 29 (IANS) A day after Congress MP S. Jothimani stirred a row by publicly criticising the party’s seat-sharing and candidate selection process within the DMK-led alliance, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader S. Vijayadharani on Sunday supported her claim, accusing the Congress of "selling seats".

Reacting to the Congress MP's charges, Vijayadharani told IANS that Jothimani has clearly stated that seats are being sold in the Congress, adding: "This is not a new fact. I know pretty well."

Vijayadharani, who switched to the BJP from Congress in 2024, alleged that previously, too, such incidents had been reported in the party.

"These things were happening in the Congress (from) way before, and everybody knows. Now Jothimani has expressed her anguish by telling the truth. From this, we clearly understand that seats are being sold and candidates are being elected in such a fashion, in a very undemocratic way," she said.

Urging the voters to oppose such acts, she said: "It is my request that such sale of seats should be opposed by the people of this country. People should not vote for such a party and definitely should give a go by to such candidates."

The BJP leader also said that she will take on the responsibility to contest the polls only if the party insists.

Jothimani had voiced deep anguish over what she described as the neglect of loyal party workers who have contributed to the Congress’s growth in the state over the years. "It is painful to see the hard work of dedicated Congress cadres being undermined and effectively ‘sold off’ by individuals who have not contributed even minimally to strengthening the party,” she said.

In a social media post, she had warned that if what she termed a "mercenary or sales-driven approach" to seat allocation continues, it could have serious consequences for the party’s future in Tamil Nadu. "If this trend persists, no one can save the Congress party in the state," she cautioned.

The Congress has been allotted 28 seats in the 234-member Assembly for April 23 Assembly elections, but the Karur MP claimed that the process behind selecting these constituencies was carried out in a "highly secretive manner", sidelining the views of party members and grassroots workers.

--IANS

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