Reporter’s diary: Cong upset over lukewarm response to PC’s arrest

Congress party functionaries have also been fuming that they did not get the support from the DMK,their trusted ally.

“There was a protest against the arrest of our senior leader Chidambaram, but we did not receive any support from our ally DMK, which is very disappointing,” a Congress leader and former ward secretary in Harbour constituency said. “His arrest evoked only lukewarm response as there were no big huge demonstrations, which should have led by senior Congress leaders across the State. Our leader (Chidambaram) is a very senior cadre in the party and his arrest is a major setback for us,” he added.

Adding fire to the issue, Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar had recently asked whether DMK president MK Stalin had strongly opposed the arrest of Chidambaram.

“Our Thapalathi had already expressed his opposition over the arrest of Chidambaram and it is up to the Congress cadres to take up the issue to the people,” a DMK cadre said.

Sources in the party said that the top brass were reluctant to throw their weight as the Congress had done nothing for them when DMK MP Kanimozhi was arrested during the Congress’ regime.