Is the party re-launched by the former Union Minister, G.K. Vasan, here on Friday, Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) or Tamil Maanila Congress Moopanar TMC (M)?
Everyone present at the Ponmalai Railway grounds here wondered whether Mr. Vasan has renamed his party as TMC (M).
Senior leaders, however, clarified that from inception it was registered as TMC (M), but popularly known as TMC.
“We registered the party in the name of TMC (M) in 1996 after late veteran of the Congress G.K. Moopanar launched the party. But we popularised the TMC as a brand name,” said senior leader and former TNCC president B.S. Gnanadesikan. Former MP Peter Alphonse said the name ‘Moopanar’ was added to the title at the suggestion of the then Chief Election Commissioner T.N. Seshan.
The late leader was able to get the name in one day since he and his supporters did not make any claim like “we are the true Congress”, he explained. Nonetheless, “We are going to again popularise it as TMC only,” Mr. Alphonse said.
When Mr Vasan merged the TMC with the Congress in 2002, some leaders from Puducherry, including Theni Jayakumar, filed a complaint before the Election Commission (EC), arguing that that the name should not be dissolved as they continue to function as the TMC.
Mr. Gnanadesikan, who argued the case before the Commission, said the EC, in its order, had made it clear that since most of the MLAs and MPs of the TMC had joined the Congress, the recognition to the TMC would be withdrawn, but it would be continue to remain as “a registered political party.”
“Now we are able to get back the name since P. Kuppusamy, leader of the TMC (M), has filed an affidavit before the EC saying that he had no objection to us using the name,” said Mr. Gnanadesikan.
Mr. Vasan is also making efforts to get back the “cycle” symbol originally allotted to the TMC.
Mr. Gnanadesikan and former MP Viswanathan, while addressing the meeting here, had emphasised the efficacy of the “cycle” symbol. It had become a hit at the hands of actor Rajinikanth in the Tamil film ‘ Annamalai .’ Mr Rajinikanth was one of the staunch supporters of the TMC in its formative days.
Mr. Alphonse said the TMC could get the symbol just six months before the elections were announced.
As per section 10 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) order, 1968, a registered political party in a State could make a claim over the symbol used by it previously, Mr. Gnanadesikan said.
