Split stares at TN Congress, Vasan set to break away

Toughening his stance against the Congress high command, former Union Shipping Minister G K Vasan gave ample indications of breaking away from the party and reviving the erstwhile Tamil Maanila Congress.

"I will announce my next plan of action on November 3," he told reporters after holding consultations for the second day with his supporters, which included former MLAs Vellore Gnanasekaran and Vidiyal Sekar.

Raising the "Valamana Tamilagam, Valimayana Bharatham," (prosperous Tamil Nadu, vibrant India) slogan coined during the founding of Tamil Maanila Congress in 1996 by his father G K Moopanar, Vasan left none in doubt about his next plan.

"In Tamil Nadu, the movement (Congress) can be strengthened only by invoking the legacy of Kamaraj and Moopanar," he said in an obvious reference to the tussle with the high command over the issue of membership cards.

He and his supporters like Gnanadesikan, who quit as TNCC chief had alleged that the high command had not allowed them to use images of Kamaraj and Moopanar in the cards.

The high command has, however, denied this.

Describing the situation arising out of the resignations of his followers Gnanadesikan and treasurer Covai Thangam as "abnormal," Vasan said even after this, the AICC's denial to "allegations" were "unacceptable."

"I express with grief the wrong political approach (done) in the name of very important leaders of the party," he said in a reference to the high command not towing the line of his group in the party on issues, including membership cards.

The controversy over images of Congress icons Kamaraj and Moopanar on the cards had infuriated party workers, he alleged.

"AICC's deeds in the past several years have been against the mood of the cadres, be it party affairs or on key issues concerning Tamil Nadu people," he said.

Though this was communicated to the high command the response was not in tune with strengthening the party, he said.

"Especially, post the Lok Sabha debacle, the AICC had ignored the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and as a result the party apparatus is in a lull."

Making no bones about his displeasure over the party high command, including the party in charge for Tamil Nadu, Mukul Wasnik, G K Vasan in reply to a question, accused the high command of having "ulterior motive".

"When Gnanadesikan (Vasan loyalist) wanted to speed up the membership drive, the diktat of the AICC to postpone it had an ulterior motive."

Asked if he had decided to break away from Congress and float a new party, he said, "I will let you know if such a good situation takes form."

When asked whether he was being forced to leave the party, he said, "I leave the hypothesis to the people and party workers."

Avoiding naming Chidambaram, while replying to a query on rivalry with him, he said, "Those who had posed obstacles in the functioning of Gnanadesikan are responsible for the present lull in the party."

As Gnanadesikan was appointed by the party president, "everyone" (an apparent reference to Chidambaram) must have functioned under his leadership, which did not happen, he said.

Asked if revival of Tamil Maanila Congress cannot be ruled out, he said "wait till November 3," referring to consultations that are on.

Vasan's father G K Moopanar had floated Tamil Maanila Congress in 1996. The party later merged with Congress in 2002.

Asked whether he would not be accused of "opportunism" as he was escalating the differences now after the Congress lost power at the Centre, he said, "We are giving medicine again and again to cure the ailment, what can we do if it is not cured?"