The Congress in Tamil Nadu has split with former Shipping Minister GK Vasan quitting the party and announcing plans to float a new political party. The Congress high command did not show interest in the aspirations of Tamil Nadu and did not understand ground realities here, said Vasan.
The name and flag of the new party will be announced at a gathering in Tiruchi, he told his supporters at a private hotel here on Monday.
Accompanying Vasan were the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee’s (TNCC) immediate past president BS Gnanadesikan and former MP Peter Alphonse.
From the party headquarters located close to the hotel, newly elected TNCC president EVKS Elangovan appealed to Vasan to reconsider his decision. Addressing party supporters, he said: “The family (Congress in TN) is going through a tough time. It is not the right time for you (Vasan) to leave the family.
“However, if you still want to leave, all the very best. The party will not be affected in any way by your leaving us.”
Footsteps of fatherVasan follows the footsteps of his late father GK Moopanar who, in 1996, broke away from the Congress to form the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) in protest against the party high command’s decision to align with the AIADMK then. With Moopanar’s death, the TMC was merged with the Congress in 2002. Vasan was twice a Rajya Sabha member, apart from being a minister in the UPA government.
Vasan said his party will form a new path on the footsteps of leaders Kamarajar and Moopanar. The aim, he said, is to build a Valamana Tamizhagam and Valimayana Bharatham (prosperous Tamil Nadu and strong India) — a slogan coined by Moopanar while forming the TMC.
Of the Congress’ five MLAs in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, two — NR Rengarajan and John Jacob — were present with Vasan at the meeting. Others in the gathering included senior Congressmen SR Balasubramanian and former MLA C Gnanasekararan.
Remains confidentAccording to Elangovan (who was flanked by former TNCC president KV Thangabalu and leader S Tirunavukurasar at the meeting), the Congress in the State needs to be strengthened. However, the party can form the new government in the State following Assembly elections in 2016, he said.
Even if it were unable to form the government, it would hold a key position in government formation, he added.
It was a day of high political drama in the city today morning, with three meetings clogging the traffic in the Royapettah and Triplicane areas.
Even as Vasan and Elangovan were holding their respective meetings, the DMK was holding a third one, protesting against the steep hike in the price of Aavin milk products.