Barring the CPI, all other political parties in Tamil Nadu did not formally react to former Union Minister Jayanthi Natarajan’s allegations against Rahul Gandhi and her decision to quit the Congress.
CPI national secretary D. Raja described the allegations as serious and urged the Congress high command and Mr. Gandhi to respond to the charges.
“She was a Congress leader and a Minister in the Congress-led UPA Cabinet. It is for Mr. Gandhi to give a proper reply,” he said.
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CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat, who is here to attend a seminar organised by the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC), refused to comment.
The DMK also preferred not to react. “It is an inner party affair. We have nothing to say on the issue,” said party’s media cell secretary T.K.S. Elangovan.
However, the meeting between the former Union Minister and senior Congress leader, Mani Shankar Aiyar, and DMK leader M. Karunanidhi spurred a speculation that he had come here as a messenger of the Congress leadership.
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But Mr. Aiyar said it was only a courtesy call.
Informed sources said Mr. Aiyar was doing a programme for a private channel on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue and had interviewed many local leaders, including T.K.S. Elangovan, TMC leader Peter Alphonse and TNCC president EVKS Elangovan.