Chennai: A team of senior Tamil Nadu Congress leaders led by its state president E.V.K.S. Elangovan will meet AICC president Sonia Gandhi at New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss the party’s strategy after G.K.Vasan floated a new party.
A senior Congress leader who confirmed to DC the conduct of the meeting said, “Soniaji has called us for a meeting at 5 pm in New Delhi. We will chalk out plans to offset the impact of Vasan’s new party.”
Earlier in the day, Elangovan appealed to his cadres not to give in to rumours being spread by people who don't belong to the party. He was apparently referring to Vasan supporters complaints about the style of politicking of the AICC top brass.
Incidentally, Elangovan’s remarks come in the wake of AICC member and former Union finance minister’s son Karti Chidambaram suggesting a review of the nature of functioning of the AICC and expressing concern over the exit of senior leaders from the state Congress.
“It is a matter of concern that some people have left when the party is in a challenging situation, which requires collective effort to rebuild the organisation,” he added, conceding that the grouses of some who had quit the Congress might be ‘legitimate’.
Dismissing allegations about his father's camp had not cooperated with erstwhile TNCC chief B.S. Gnanadesikan as ‘unfounded’, Chidambaram junior suggested that extensive touring and interaction with the cadres and people was imperative to rebuild the party.
Incidentally, Elangovan got actor Karthik, founder of All India Naadaalum Makkal Katchi which wields a little influence among the Thevar community, to express solidarity with Tamil Nadu Congress. Karthik, who did not make a categorical announcement about merging his fledgling party with the Congress, however said that it would be discussed later.
