The Hindu : Front Page : “Local factors, new outfits have led to defeat of Congress leaders”

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Monday, May 18, 2009
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Front Page

“Local factors, new outfits have led to defeat of Congress leaders”

Special Correspondent

Tamils issue was irrelevant to polls, says TNCC chief
Intra-party squabbling a reason for his defeat

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K.V.Thangkabalu on Sunday argued that local factors coupled with the emergence of new political outfits contributed to the defeat of many senior Congress leaders in their constituencies in the Lok Sabha polls.

Talking to reporters at the Sathyamurthy Bhavan, he said the results had proved that the Sri Lankan Tamils issue became irrelevant to the polls. He rejected the argument that the Tamils issue led to a neck-and-neck fight in the constituencies where the Congress contested.

“No party can match the sacrifices of the Congress when it comes to the Sri Lankan Tamils issue. We have lost our leader Rajiv Gandhi. The ethnic crisis could not be resolved without the involvement of the Tamil Nadu government and the Congress government at the Centre,” he stressed.

As for his defeat, he said intra-party squabbling was one of the reasons.

Mr. Thangkabalu said the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) was routed in the Lok Sabha polls because it had betrayed the Congress.

“The PMK enjoyed power at the Centre for five years and left the Congress alliance at the time of elections. The election results show that political parties that betrayed the Congress have been defeated,” he said.

“Smear campaign”

Mr. Thangkabalu said the “smear campaign” by the Opposition cut no ice with the voters, since the organisational strength of the DMK and the Congress, the leadership of the two parties, the efficient governance at the Centre and in Tamil Nadu and the two parties’ commitment to principles prevailed over all other considerations.

Reacting to AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa’s allegation that the DMK-Congress combine won the election through money power, he asked, “Does she mean she also won the elections in 13 constituencies by distributing money?”

He said “Let us accept the verdict of the people.”

Asked about the controversies surrounding the election of Union Home Minister P.Chidambaram from the Sivaganga constituency, he said the Opposition parties were trying to find excuses to cover up their defeat.

“Election officials are not Congressmen,” he said.

He refused to comment when asked whether the Congress would demand a share in power in Tamil Nadu. “Let us now celebrate the victory of the Congress at the Centre,” he quipped

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