Cracking the whip ahead of November 28 meeting of G K Vasan camp, where the senior leader is to launch his party weeks after quitting Congress, the state unit of the party on Friday expelled two of his supporters, including a key confidant.
Tiruchirappalli North District President M Rajasekaran, who is busy in organising the much-hyped public meeting of Vasan, and Kanchipuram (North) Secretary S D Neduchezhiyan were expelled from Congress by TNCC President E V K S Elangovan, a TNCC release said.
Mr. Rajasekaran, a trusted lieutenant of Vasan, hails from a traditional Congress family and had represented Thottiyam constituency in Tiruchirappalli District during 2006-11.
Reacting to his expulsion, Mr. Rajasekaran told PTI that he was very happy with it. “Wait for the launch of the party. Elangovan himself will be on our side.”
Elangovan supporters say that by expelling a “known right hand man” of Mr. Vasan, he has sent out a clear message that “anti-party activities” will not be tolerated “howsoever influential they may be.” Unlike 1996, when the Congress party did not officially expel several leaders though they had deserted to Tamil Maanila Congress, founded by Vasan’s father G K Moopanar, the situation will not be the same this time around, they said.
“At that time (1996), the leadership indefinitely waited for deserters to return. Now, they may get some time to rethink. If nothing happens, action is sure,” a source said.
Mr. Rajasekaran was given time to return. As he continued to work for Mr. Vasan meeting he was expelled, they said.
Elangovan has also done a balancing act by giving charge of Tiruchirapplli North District to his loyalist Jerome Arokiaraj and south district to P. Chidambaram supporter R C Babu.
He has appointed his Tambaram-based follower V R Sivaraman, as Kanchi North District in charge in place of Nedunchezhiyan.
Meanwhile, in Erode, the native of Elangovan, some flex banners with his pictures were found damaged today, triggering protests by Congress workers.
Police said the banners, put up by Congressmen to welcome Elangovan, visiting the town on November 17 after being made the TNCC chief, were found damaged.
Protesting this, Congress volunteers led by Erode DCC President E P Ravi, staged a demonstration demanding that the police arrest the miscreants.
Police rushed to the spot and assured the agitators that they would take stringent action against the persons responsible for the vandalisation, following which they dispersed.
