CHENNAI: Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Wednesday wrote to the National Incharge of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC), raising concerns over the membership drive in Tamil Nadu.
In his letter to Krishna Allavaru, Karti Chidambaram described the current online membership registration process as misleading.
“I must emphasise that this ‘drive’ is nothing short of a ghost or phantom operation. Consider the facts: In 2010, TNYC claimed to have 13,32,912 members. Fast forward to 2021, and the IYC claims to have registered over eight lakh members. Startlingly, the total popular votes secured by the INC in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu were only 17,50,990. This demonstrates that these membership numbers are deceptive and illusory,” he stated.
“If these online members were genuinely engaged, where was their involvement when it mattered most–at the polls?” he questioned.
The Congress MP also alleged that the IYC membership fees are not paid by individuals but by regional satraps, power brokers, and affluent individuals who manipulate the election process to their advantage.
“This undermines those who have invested years of effort, sidelining them and demoralising the party’s unity while discouraging genuine participation,” Chidambaram added.
He further highlighted the lack of a robust verification process for online members. “What’s to stop anyone from signing up without genuine commitment to the party’s values? How can we expect these so-called members to contribute to party activities if they aren’t even committed to the cause in the first place? The sad reality is that only a fraction of these ‘members’ remain active post-election. This is a waste of resources and a betrayal of the party’s integrity,” he remarked.
Karti Chidambaram criticised the current online enrolment system as a failure, asserting that it risks further alienation and disillusionment within the party.
“I urge a complete overhaul of the system–one that prioritises real, physical enrolment, where individuals demonstrate their commitment to the party’s principles and are willing to contribute to its growth. Only those who prove their dedication should be granted the right to vote in internal elections. This will ensure that leadership decisions are made by individuals with a genuine stake in the party’s future, not by a faceless mass of online members with no true allegiance,” the Congress MP concluded.
