The Hindu : Front Page : Sonia’s election rally postponed

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Thursday, May 07, 2009
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Sonia’s election rally postponed

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: With DMK president M. Karunanidhi still in hospital and unable to campaign, Congress president Sonia Gandhi postponed her election rally in Chennai and Puducherry, scheduled to be held on Wednesday.

All-India Congress Committee general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is also in charge of party affairs in Tamil Nadu, told reporters that Ms. Gandhi and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi intended to address a joint election meeting in Chennai. But the Chief Minister, who was undergoing treatment in a private hospital here, had been advised complete rest.

As Ms. Gandhi wanted to share the dais with Mr. Karunanidhi, the proposed rally had been postponed. The new date would be announced soon. There was no other reason for the postponement of the rally, he said.

Mr.Azad denied that the postponement of the meeting would be a setback for the UPA. Union and State Ministers and senior leaders of both the parties were already in the field and were doing effective campaigning, he said.

According to police sources, there was no fresh input on any specific threat to Ms. Gandhi.

“A few weeks ago, Central and State intelligence agencies had perceived a threat to the VVIP from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Laskhar-e-Taiba and some sympathisers of Tamil Eelam. There was an input that activists of the Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam might show black flags to Ms. Gandhi during her visit to Chennai,” a senior police official said. Adequate security arrangements were in place for the visit of Ms. Gandhi in Tamil Nadu, he said.

Mr.Azad said he visualised a realignment of forces after the polling but before the announcement of the results. Till such time, the party would wait and watch.

He said secular parties would prefer the UPA to the National Democratic Alliance. Any party which held the largest number of seats should have the right to form the government, he said.

When asked about Rahul Gandhi’s invitation to Left parties for a post-poll agreement, Mr. Azad said at present the party was keeping its options open and it would like to have an alliance only with secular and like-minded parties.

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