Recall TN Cong poll officers, say rebels

The leaders described as a “farce and bogus” the PCC and AICC list and called for scrapping it. The list was prepared at Kerala House in Delhi by the leaders who prepared the list of DROs.

Thangka Balu and Ramamurthee along with former Union minister M. Arunachalam have sent an appeal to Congress central election Authority chairman R.N. Midhra for cancelling both the lists. Arunanchalam did not attend the press conference.

Thankgabalu and Ramamurthee said that though the Congress election rules made it clear that only “effective” members be appointed as election officers, 15 of the 35 DROs weren’t. “They are supporters of former minister Prabhu and TNCC president E.V.K.S. Elangovan.

Asked if the list had the approval of AICC president Sonia Gandhi, Thangka Balu said: “It does not.” He said he had apprised Sonia Gandhi of the situation in the state but refused to elaborate. On the demand for action against Sanakara Narayanan, he said: “It was for the party high-command to decide.”

Asked if he would contest the TNCC presidential elections to prove his strength, Thangka Balu claimed he was not after power. The dissident leaders said they were in favour of the unanimous election of Sonia Gandhi as AICC president. Being a member of the Nehru family, only Sonia could keep the Congress united and strong, they said.