Scramble to get into AICC list

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, DEC. 13. With the election to Congress(I)'s apex decision-making body, the Working Committee, round the corner, the State Congress(I) faction leaders are now clamouring for a ``due share'' in the list of AICC(I) members.

Over 1,400 AICC(I) members ``elected'' from all the State units of the party including 71 from the Tamil Nadu unit would elect 12 CWC members.

As the organisational election process has been given a go-by in the State Congress(I), the faction leaders - from the TNCC(I) president, Mr. E.V.K.S. Elangovan, to his key opponent, Mr. K.V. Thangabalu - are now camping in Delhi with their own ``lists of candidates'' for the AICC(I) membership.

The stakes for getting into the AICC(I) list are quite high for the various factions, as it is a crucial route to getting closer to the party's ``Delhi leaders.'' So, the dissident camp led by Mr. Thangabalu is lobbying hard in Delhi to get as many of its members into the AICC(I), for their ``Delhi lobby manager'' and party general secretary, in charge of the southern States, Mr. Gulam Nabi Azad, is expected to seek re- election to the CWC.

The Elangovan camp is likely to back the Myladuthurai MP, Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyer, who unsuccessfully contested the CWC elections during the Sitaram Kesri dispensation. For, Mr. Aiyer had come out openly in support of Mr. Elangovan's continuance as the TNCC(I) president, in the face of dissidents' clamour for his removal.

Meanwhile, with the party leadership announcing the PCC(I) chiefs for crucial States including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi, the State Congress(I) expects, the announcement for the TNCC(I) presidentship would follow suit.

The AICC(I) list which is likely to be announced in a day or two, is expected to be a crucial indicator to the fate of the present TNCC(I) leadership.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Jayalalitha moves HC on Special Court order
Next     : Trial in case against Minister begins