TMC against merger with Cong in present context

CHENNAI, May 21: The Tamil Maanila Congress TMC is the real Congress in Tamil Nadu, G K Moopanar said today but added that party acknowled...

CHENNAI, May 21: The Tamil Maanila Congress TMC is the real Congress in Tamil Nadu, G K Moopanar said today but added that party acknowledged Sonia Gandhi8217;s leadership of Congress at the all-India level. If there was any opportunity for Sonia to become Prime Minister, the TMC would support such a move, the party chief said.

At the gathering to pay homage to Rajiv Gandhi, S Balakrishnan, leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, however ruled out merger of the TMC with the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee TNCC 8220;in the present context8221;. He voiced concern that in the event of a merger, TMC functionaries would encounter problems related to factionalism endemic to the Congress.

Moopanar is likely to be fielded by the party in the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu, slated for June 18.

Of the six Rajya Sabha seats for which elections have been notified, the TMC with 39 members in the State Assembly can comfortably elect a candidate, as 34 votes would suffice.

TMC leaders andfunctionaries, who met on Thursday at the party headquarters to observe Rajiv Gandhi8217;s seventh death anniversary, informally decided that party president G K Moopanar should be fielded.

Former union minister S R Balasubramaniam said, though Moopanar8217;s candidature has the overwhelming support of the party, it is for the Political Affairs Committee, which will be meeting on May 23 and 24, to take a decision. 8220;We will persuade Moopanar to agree,8221; Balasubramaniam, PAC member, said.

The TMC has high regard for the sentiments of the Tamils, but it is unfortunate that certain organisations are supporting the LTTE, he said. Extending financial assistance to help the LTTE indulge in its terrorist activities is an unpardonable crime, he added. It should be remembered that LTTE chief V Prabhakaran, has been declared a proclaimed offender by the designated court, he pointed out.

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Recalling Rajiv8217;s services to the nation, Balasubramaniam said Tamil Nadu will forever carry the burden of the unpleasant memory thatRajiv was killed on this soil. 8220;The attempt in certain quarters to justify the assassination is very crude and amounts to insulting his memory.8221;

Meanwhile, on behalf of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, its president K V Thangabalu came to Sriperumbudur with his party functionaries and paid homage to Rajiv8217;s memory. While Moopanar and Thangabalu greeted each other, Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress leader and Union Minister Vazhapadi K Ramamurthy, who was the last to arrive at the memorial site, made it a point not to greet his erstwhile colleagues.