The former Union Minister and senior Congress leader, E.V.K.S Elangovan, on Monday pressed for more freedom to the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) for strengthening the party in the State.
Speaking at a function to mark the first death anniversary of the former MLA Latha Priyakumar at Satyamurthi Bhavan, the party headquarters, he said the Congress had been out of power in the State since 1967. “Only those in Tamil Nadu know the situation on the ground. The Central leadership should take our views before deciding on alliance,” he said. The scenario was such that even appointment of office-bearers was being delayed.
The former Union Minister, G.K. Vasan, said the TNCC would protest against the rail fare increase on June 27. “Within a month of assuming office, the BJP government at the Centre has taken anti-people decisions, such as imposition of Hindi and railway and diesel price increase, and it has failed to make any effort to stop the continuing attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen,” he said.
Pointing to DMK president M. Karunanidhi’s statement that the BJP government was making the same mistakes as the UPA regime, TNCC president B.S. Gnanadesikan said the DMK was part of the Congress-led alliance for nine years. “If we made mistakes, the DMK has a share in it,” he said.