Girish Chodankar, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Tamil Nadu, expressed regret over the party's decision to maintain its alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) instead of supporting the Tamil Nadu Vikas Katchi (TVK) party. He noted that local leaders believed a campaign featuring Rahul Gandhi alongside TVK leader Vijay could have led to a significant victory, potentially securing 180-190 seats. In the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly elections held on April 23, the TVK achieved a remarkable victory, winning 108 seats, while the DMK, led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, finished with only 59 seats. Congress, a DMK ally, managed to win just five seats. Chodankar acknowledged the disappointment among party workers, some of whom shifted their support to TVK. He emphasized that Congress would respect the people's mandate and reassess its political strategy moving forward. AICC secretary Alva Nivedith confirmed that the national leadership would determine the future direction of the party in Tamil Nadu, highlighting ongoing communication with TVK's Vijay.