‘Cong never forced any party for DMK alliance’

(March 28, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) Tamilnadu Congress Committee president K V Thangkabalu today said the party was not involved in forcing any other party to join the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance in the State.

These remarks of the TNCC chief came as a reaction to media reports that some leaders of the national party were involved in retaining the PMK in the allliance even as others were busy with attempts to rope in DMDK to the fold.

Speaking to reporters after the five-member election committee of TNCC met at Sathyamurthy Bhavan here, he said those parties who forged an alliance with DMK and Congress would alone win in the Lok Sabha elections. On the campaigning strategy, he said the party would focus on the welfare measures and projects done by the Central governemnt in the last five years.

To a question on Lankan issue, he said the Central and State governments have done their duty within the limits allowed by the Constitution.Earlier, the election commitee comprising Union Ministers P Chidambaram, G K Vasan, EVKS Elangovan and Congress Floor Leader in the Assembly D Sudarsanam and Thangkabalu discussed about the number and name of the seats to be demanded by Congress while holding talks with the DMK.

The decision taken at this meet would be informed to All India Congress Committee general secretary Gulam Nabi Azad who would reach Chennai this evening. The team along with Azad would meet Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi and hold talks.

Factional feud starts

A section of TNCC activists today protested in front of the Sathyamurthy Bhavan urging the Congress to contest in Sriperumbudur and Kanyakumari. Responding to this, Thangkabalu said internal affairs of the party were to be discussed with the leadership and proper disciplinary action would be taken against those involved in such acts.

-Sri Lanka Guardian