Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

No ties with AIADMK in future: Cong.

By Our Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE Dec. 8. The Congress will not have ties with the AIADMK ever again, as its party general secretary and Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, spoke ill of the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi, on her foreign origin, the TNCC president, S. Balakrishnan, said today.

Speaking to presspersons here, Mr. Balakrishnan said the decision was also based on the AIADMK Government's "anti-people'' and "anti-labour'' policies, he added.

Asked whether the Congress regretted the alliance it had with the AIADMK in the last elections, he said, "it was right under the circumstances then. Now things are different''. On whether the Congress planned to fight elections alone hereafter, Mr. Balakrishnan said, "We will ally with parties who accept Sonia Gandhi's leadership''.

Mr. Balakrishnan admitted that the Congress was yet to strike a chord with the DMK and the PMK, as they had their own approaches. However, the Congress, the Left parties, the Indian Union Muslim League and the Indian National League were able to adopt a common approach.

He claimed a discernable increase in the people's faith in the Congress after their "experience with the Dravidian parties" over the past 35 years. "The need to bring back Kamaraj rule in the State is being felt more now and we will work towards it.' Admitting there were cracks in the State unit after the TMC's merger with the Congress, Mr. Balakrishnan, however, hoped that they would gradually disappear.

On parties such as the Congress Jananayaga Peravai not returning to the fold, he referred to reports of the CJP general secretary and former Union Minister, P. Chidambaram, stating that he would meet Ms. Gandhi. "If he decides to come back, he's welcome''.

Mr. Balakrishnan criticised the anti-conversion law saying the State Government sought to divide the people on communal lines. "It would only vitiate the atmosphere in Tamil Nadu.

With a view to strengthening the party, a membership drive would be launched on the 117th party anniversary on December 28.

A training camp for cadres would be held at Mahabalipuram from December 27 to 29.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• No ties with AIADMK in future: Cong.
• 'Mystery shrouds Veeranam deal'
• STF will rise to occasion, says Jayalalithaa
• Need for more nephrologists, says Semmalai
• Racket in counterfeit documents unearthed, five arrested
• NPCIL to set up 6 more units
• TANSCHE moots uniform fees for affiliation of courses
• Few takers for Jan Shatabdi Expresses
• Not afraid of entering politics, says Vijaykant
• NAAC for interaction between `weak' and `developed' colleges
• Booked under Goondas Act for indulging in flesh trade
• PT rally against conversion law today
• CM to chair meeting of Collectors, SPs

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu