John Arokiasamy is reportedly mounting a bid to become one of the Congress party’s principal election strategists at the national level. Political observers say recent political developments have created an opening for Arokiasamy to expand his influence within Congress circles, potentially reshaping the country’s political consulting landscape and triggering a scramble among rival strategists, as reported in Junior Vikatan.
John Arokiasamy, political strategist to Vijay is reportedly eyeing a larger role as the Congress party’s national strategy head ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
At the same time, Sunil Kanugolu the Congress party’s key strategic adviser, is said to be working to retain… pic.twitter.com/rK9MjWTSp5
— Stalin SP (@Stalin__SP) June 10, 2026
Political strategist Sunil Kanugolu has reportedly become the focal point of an internal dispute within the DMK’s top leadership following the party’s disappointing performance in the 2026 Assembly election. According to senior DMK leaders familiar with the developments, differences have emerged between Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and Stalin’s son-in-law Sabareesan over Sunil’s future role within the party.
Sunil Kanugolu, a native of Bellary in Karnataka, is a well-known election strategist who has worked with multiple political parties. He played a key role in the DMK’s 2016 Assembly election campaign and was credited with designing and executing DMK president M.K. Stalin’s “Namakku Naame” statewide outreach programme, as per a Vikatan report.
After subsequently working for the AIADMK during the 2021 Assembly election, Sunil later joined the political team of Udhayanidhi Stalin, who was then serving as DMK Youth Wing Secretary. Following Udhayanidhi’s elevation to the post of Deputy Chief Minister during the previous DMK government, Sunil reportedly became one of his closest political advisers.
Sources within the party claim that after the 2026 Assembly election produced a hung verdict with no party securing an absolute majority, Udhayanidhi explored the possibility of a DMK-AIADMK arrangement. During those discussions, Sunil is said to have advised Chief Minister Stalin on why such a move would not ultimately benefit the DMK. His influence during that period reportedly strengthened his standing within Udhayanidhi’s camp.
However, party insiders now claim that a debate has emerged over whether Sunil should continue to play a significant role in shaping the DMK’s political strategy.
According to senior DMK leaders, the internal disagreement is closely linked to efforts to assign responsibility for the party’s electoral setback.
“The primary dispute within the leadership family revolves around who should take responsibility for the defeat,” a senior DMK source was quoted as saying. “Udhayanidhi believes the party suffered because of flawed survey findings and strategic assessments provided by PEN. At the same time, concerns were raised regarding the influence allegedly exercised by a relative of Tiruppur Selvaraj during the candidate selection process. These discussions reportedly angered Sabareesan, who does not want blame to fall upon his organisation.”
Meanwhile, political circles are abuzz with reports that Sunil Kanugolu has distanced himself from Udhayanidhi’s team and moved to Bengaluru, while the PEN organisation continues to handle strategic responsibilities for the DMK.
Political observers, however, suggest that broader political calculations may be influencing the developments.
According to sources familiar with the matter, TVK’s alliance with the Congress party has opened up new opportunities for election strategists seeking a larger national role. Observers claim that political consultant Jhon Arokiasamy is attempting to position himself as a key strategist for the Congress across India.
“John has previously worked closely with the Congress and understands the party’s strengths and weaknesses thoroughly,” one political observer said. “He stepped aside earlier when Sunil became influential within Congress circles. Now the political landscape has changed.”
https://t.co/odCMlzJHNB pic.twitter.com/cTkkYv5eSj
— Stalin SP (@Stalin__SP) June 10, 2026
The same sources allege that Sunil sought to secure a more permanent position within the DMK after learning about John’s latest political moves. However, they claim Sabarisan opposed the proposal and reportedly advised Stalin against bringing Sunil into the party’s inner strategic structure.
According to these accounts, Sabarisan is said to have argued that Sunil had already worked with the DMK during the 2016 election without delivering victory and had failed to anticipate several of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s political moves during that period.
As a result, sources claim that Sunil has shifted his focus to Karnataka, where he continues to be associated with Congress-related political projects.
The developments have reportedly caused concern within Udhayanidhi’s camp. Sources say efforts are underway to persuade Sunil to return to Chennai and to convince Stalin that Sunil’s strategic expertise could prove crucial in countering TVK leader Vijay in future political contests.
However, political insiders maintain that Sabarisan remains firmly opposed to such a move, making Sunil’s return to the DMK’s inner circle increasingly uncertain.
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