Rahul asks TN Cong leaders to stay away from turmoil
NEWDELHI: The Congress is keeping a close watch on the political developments in Tamil Nadu in view of the allegations that the Centre is “meddling in the affairs” of the southern state.
Congress sources said the party has decided to stay away from the crisis in the ruling AIADMK and not take “any step that might antagonise its trusted ally” DMK. This was decided at a meeting between Congress vicepresident Rahul Gandhi and the state leaders in the national capital on Friday.
Gandhi had summoned Tamil Nadu Congress president S Thirunavukkarasar and Congress legislature party (CLP) leader KR Ramasamy to discuss the current crisis.
The Congress, which has eight legislators in the 234-member assembly, is vertically divided over supporting AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala or caretaker CM O Panneerselvam.
While Thirunavukkarasar and his loyalists favour Sasikala as the chief minister, former finance minister P Chidambaram and many ex-state unit chiefs such as EVKS Elangovan and KV Thangkabalu want the Congress to keep away from the AIADMK’s internal crisis.
There are apprehensions in the Congress camp that the BJP might “carry out an Arunachal Pradesh-like operation” in TN in order to gain “some foothold” in the southern state.
“To thwart any such move, we have alerted our cadre across Tamil Nadu,” a senior Congress leader said.
Another Congress functionary said the party will “stand solidly” behind its senior alliance partner in all its moves.
The DMK, which fought the 2016 assembly elections in alliance with the Congress, has 89 legislators in the state assembly.
However, the party is also waiting for next week’s Supreme Court verdict in the ₹66.65 crore disproportionate assets case against Sasikala.
An adverse judgment could cast a shadow on Sasikala’s plans to become CM.
THERE ARE SOME APPREHENSIONS IN THE CONGRESS CAMP THAT THE BJP MIGHT ‘CARRY OUT AN ARUNACHAL PRADESHLIKE OPERATION’ IN TN