Chennai: G.K. Vasan on Saturday chose to seemingly make peace with the Chidambaram’s in the ongoing statement war, hoping to start his second innings as TNCC chief. When all his followers expected him to blow the bugle, Vasan pedaled soft by urging the rival Chidambaram faction to report its differences to AICC instead of the media. “It is inappropriate to air intra-party differences to the media. It will not help the party grow in any way,” a mellowed down Vasan told reporters here ruling out the revival of Tamil Maanila Congress. This, a day after his supporters issued a joint statement, ripping the Chidambarams apart for demanding Gnanadesikan’s resignation.
In strict obedience to his factional lord’s command, Mr Gnanadesikan issued a statement expressing dismay at Chidambaram’s statement and appealed to party functionaries to air their grievances to the high command and not the media. Asserting that he has been cordial since day one, Gnanadesikan invited party leaders to the June 7 meet, which, party insiders suspect, could be chaired by a new TNCC president.
An ex-MLA who has been urging Vasan to revive TMC louder than he would want said that they would not be surprised if the TNCC president is changed before the June 7 convention.
AICC actively considered change of guard even before LS polls, the Vasan loyalists conceded. Vasan supporters believe that their leader’s soft pedaling would continue till the announcement of new TNCC president and he would be forced to rethink his ploy after AICC snubs him. The Chidambarams’ would not be mute spectators either. Party insiders have it that the former Union finance minister would try Rajya Sabha nomination from Bangalore and push his confidant K. S. Alagiri’s name for TNCC chair. Resistance from Karnataka Congress notwithstanding, Chidambarms are learnt to have opened channels with JD (S) chief H.D. Deva Gowda to secure RS berth.
