Rumblings in TN Cong, state chief dismisses it as internal affair

CHENNAI: After a prolonged silence, rumblings against the state leadership surfaced in the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee with few office bearers overtly expressing their resentment.

What took everyone by surprise was the chaos and a sudden scuffle between the supporters of two MLAs on the premises of Sathymurthy Bhavan - the TNCC headquarters - on November 15.

Though TNCC chief K S Alagiri, later, dismissed this as the party's internal affair, which would be sorted out, the incident nevertheless brought to the fore the bickerings within the party.

Party's Thoothukudi north district Congress president R Kamaraj resigned from party post protesting against the alleged handling of the incidents.

TNCC treasurer and Nanguneri legislator Ruby R Manoharan, whose supporters created ruckus leading to a minor scuffle, said he has been served a show-cause notice by the party leadership and he would make his submission before the disciplinary committee on November 24.

His supporters had protested against the election results of the block presidents for Kalakkad and Nanguneri. The supporters of Tirunelveli east district Congress committee president K P K Jayakumar entered into an argument with them leading to a scuffle between the two groups.

"The party posts were filled without consulting the district presidents. The arbitrary action against Manoharan is unacceptable. The party cadres were attacked by goondas inside the Congress state headquarters. What action has the state president taken against the goondas?" Kamaraj asked.

Also, he alleged that the TNCC did not pass a resolution condemning the release of the convicts in the former Prime Minister and Congress leader Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

Dismissing it as an internal issue, Alagiri claimed that "dissatisfaction against leadership is natural in any political party." The appointments were made as per the procedure laid down by the state election commission, he said.

About 62 district leaders signed a petition seeking disciplinary action against the Nanguneri MLA.

"We are trying to resolve the issue in a democratic manner. Alagiri's car was waylaid by a group of persons," claimed former union minister Dhanushkodi Athithan.

Posters demanding action against Manoharan in Tirunelveli district and few posters in Chidambaram flaying Alagiri, took the party by surprise.