Sonia to address meeting in Tiruchi on October 9

It is being held as part of 125th-year fete of Congress

Congress president Sonia Gandhi will address a public meeting in Tiruchi on October 9.

It is being be organised as part of the 125th-year celebrations of the Indian National Congress, K.V. Thangkabalu, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president, said here on Monday.

Former Union Minister Su. Thirunavukkarasar, along with his supporters, will formally join the Congress at the meeting in the presence of Union Ministers Ghulam Nabi Azad, P. Chidambaram, G.K. Vasan, former TNCC presidents E.V.K.S. Elangovan, Krishnasamy, MPs, MLAs and party functionaries from across the State, Mr. Thangkabalu told reporters.

He said that Ms. Gandhi would attend a government function in Puducherry on the morning of October 9 before reaching Tiruchi.

Meetings with district units of the party functionaries would be held for organising the meeting.

The Congress was the third biggest party in Tamil Nadu with more than 20 per cent votes, and committees had been constituted at district, union and booth level over the last two years to further strengthen the party, he said.

Replying to a query, he said the Congress-DMK alliance was going strong with good understanding between the parties.

Mr. Thirunavukkarasar said the public meeting would be a big event for the party. The visit of Ms. Gandhi to Tamil Nadu would be her first after being re-elected party president for the fourth consecutive term.

Accompanied by Mr. Thirunavukkarasar, Tiruchi Urban District Congress Committee president Jerome Arokiaraj, Mayor S. Sujatha, former Mayor Sarubala Tondaiman, party MLA Rajasekaran and party functionaries, Mr. Thangkabalu visited the military ground at Mannarpuram and the railway ground at Ponmalai to decide the venue for the meeting.