Ideology over office: Why I am resigning as NSUI Tamil Nadu State Secretary

I joined this movement inspired by Rahul Gandhi’s courage, but I cannot remain part of a leadership that repays years of steadfast loyalty from the DMK with opportunistic backstabbing. 

Politics, for me, was never about power, designation, or personal gain. It was about ideology, conviction, and standing by those who stood for principles when it mattered the most.

I am one among the millions of Indian youth who were inspired and politically awakened by the ideologies and courage of Rahul Gandhi. From 2019 onwards, I followed his politics closely and believed that he represented a new democratic voice for the youth of this nation. His speeches, his consistency against authoritarianism, and his willingness to walk among the people during difficult times deeply influenced me.

That belief took me to Delhi during the 2024 Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections, where I actively worked for NSUI and campaigned wholeheartedly for Ronak Khatri, the presidential candidate. His victory was a proud moment for many young Congress workers like me. Following the elections, when a vacancy arose for the post of State Secretary in NSUI Tamil Nadu, I applied. The leadership appreciated my dedication and organisational work, and I was entrusted with the responsibility.

I accepted the post not for status, but because I genuinely believed in the movement.

However, today, with a heavy heart, I have decided to resign from that position.

My resignation is not born out of anger, hatred, or political ambition. It comes from disappointment, ideological conflict, and a sense of betrayal toward an alliance and a leader who stood with the Congress party when almost nobody else did.There was a time when the Indian National Congress was politically isolated and struggling for survival. In 2014, the party was reduced to 44 seats in Parliament. In 2019, it managed only 52 seats. At that point, many political leaders across India distanced themselves from Congress because nobody wanted to be associated with what was perceived as a “sinking brand.”

But one man chose differently — M K Stalin.

When most of India’s media machinery mocked Rahul Gandhi and reduced him to the term “Pappu,” M K Stalin stood beside him publicly and fearlessly. During the launch of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he personally handed over the national flag to Rahul Gandhi. He did not have to do it politically. He chose to do it ideologically.

He openly stated, “Rahul Gandhi’s speeches are creating tremors in the country. His talks are sometimes like Nehru.”

This was not mere diplomacy. This was a Chief Minister staking his political credibility and capital on a leader whom many had already written off.

Again, on March 23, 2023, when Rahul Gandhi was convicted in Surat and disqualified from Parliament overnight, it was M K Stalin who became one of the first major voices in support of him. He called the action “fascist” and termed it “an onslaught on all progressive democratic forces.”

In the 2024 Parliamentary elections, too, while several leaders within the INDIA alliance hesitated to openly project Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial face, it was once again M K Stalin who boldly declared: “Rahul Gandhi is my Prime Ministerial candidate.”

The emotional bond between them was visible even when Rahul Gandhi personally bought sweets and affectionately said, “Among many political leaders I know, Stalin is my brother.”

That relationship symbolised trust, loyalty, and alliance dharma.

Which is exactly why the recent political developments have deeply disturbed me.

I have heard senior Congress leaders say that the DMK too had politically disagreed with or “betrayed” Congress at certain points. But I do not think that can be equated with the present situation.

Political disagreements are common, especially under a prevailing BJP and Narendra Modi-led government. In politics, people often say there are no permanent friends or enemies. Those are political realities.

But this feels different to me. This is not just about politics; it is about trust, emotion, and the relationship M K Stalin shared with Rahul Gandhi during Congress’s toughest phase. When many stayed away, Stalin stood beside him with conviction and loyalty.

That is why this does not feel like an ordinary political shift. It feels personal, emotional, and painful for many grassroots workers like me.

If the Indian National Congress truly wished to align with TVK, such a political decision should have been made before the 2026 Legislative Assembly elections and before enjoying the electoral and political benefits received through the DMK alliance. After securing a Rajya Sabha seat and 28 MLA seats through the alliance, leaving the alliance now appears deeply opportunistic and self-centred.

More importantly, a fundamental question arises — why TVK? In what way has TVK proven itself politically or ideologically superior to the DMK?

The TVK leadership remained largely silent even during tragic incidents like the Karur stampede, where basic words of consolation to victims came after months. Even senior Congress leader and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President D K Shivakumar publicly described C Joseph Vijay as an immature politician.

Then why this sudden shift?

As a grassroots worker and a follower of Rahul Gandhi, I personally feel that the Congress leadership has politically backstabbed Stalin and moved towards TVK merely for the sake of projecting a narrative that “South India supports Congress” — Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, and now a proposed TVK-Congress alliance.

This appears less like ideological politics and more like an attempt to create a symbolic flex statement that Rahul Gandhi is the “Prime Ministerial face of South India.”

That, in my view, is not principled politics.

I do not know whether these decisions are happening with the direct knowledge and approval of Rahul Gandhi or not. But I firmly believe that the duty of a true follower is not blind obedience. A follower must question a leader when something feels morally or politically wrong.

That is exactly what I believe I am doing today.

My resignation does not mean I hate or oppose Rahul Gandhi. I will continue to respect the ideology that attracted me towards him in the first place. But for me, ideology will always matter more than a political post.

Positions can be given and taken away.

But principles define a person forever.

Valgha Tamil, Valargha Tamil Nadu, Jai Hind!

The writer is former State Secretary, NSUI TamilNadu