New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday met the newly appointed PCC leadership in Tamil Nadu and discussed the party’s strategy in the state. PCC president K.S Alagiri along with working presidents H. Vasa-
ntha Kumar, K. Jayakumar, M.K Vishnu Prasad and Mayura Jayakumar, named to lead the TNCC in the place of Su. Thirunavukkarasar given the marching orders on Saturday, were called by Rahul to his residence for discussing the strategy for the coming Lok Sabha elections as well as for strengthening the party in the Dravidian state, sources said.
They said the Congress president was particularly concerned about the perennial problem of the TNCC being weighed down by bitter faction feuding. “In fact, his decision to appoint four working presidents under the pretext of assisting Alagiri is bound to only exacerbate this cursed problem. Now there will be five leaders competing with each other for TV mikes and pushing their independent agendas rather than work united for the benefit of the party”, said a TNCC stalwart.
But for the happy record, Rahul had a confident Facebook post after meeting up with his new TN team. “I met with members of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, today, at my residence. I am confident that our team under the leadership of K.S Alagiri Ji, the new TNCC president, will continue to have the trust & support of the people of Tamil Nadu. I wish them all the best!” said the Congress chief in his post.
Earlier in the day, he had granted audience to Thirunavukkarasar presumably to assuage his hurt feelings at being sacked so unceremoniously even as the ex-AIADMK/ex-BJP Dravidian leader only recently boasted he would remain at the helm at the PCC headquarters Satyamurthi Bhavan. Reporters who met him soon after that meeting repeatedly asked Thiru what happened to his usual cheerful appearance and if he was terribly upset at being ousted so close to the Lok Sabha polls.
Did he ask Rahul why he was sacked, a reporter asked Thiru. “I did not ask the reason when I was made the AICC secretary within a short time of joining the party and later appointed to the coveted post of TNCC president. Similarly, I did not seek any reason now (for the sack)”, he said.
Putting up a brave face and a plastic smile, Thiru insisted he had reason to feel proud and happy as he broke the longevity record at the Satyamurthi Bhavan by lasting two-and-a-half years as the PCC president. He said he thanked Rahul profusely for the trust and confidence he had reposed in him during his long term at the Bhavan.
“When I first joined the Congress, I had told Rahulji that my decision was entirely influenced by my love and loyalty for him and the deep respect I had for Soniaji. That feeling will remain now and forever. Not just me, my progeny too will remain loyal to them”, said Thiru, committing his family to loyalty to the Nehru-Gandhi family.
