Sons and daughters of leaders making a foray into politics has become a sort of a norm. Is Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy also making the right moves in grooming his daughter Vijayakumari in politics? This question seems to be lingering in the minds of many after she started appearing regularly at Mahila Congress functions. Going a step ahead, Vijayakumari, a housewife, attended a fast recently observed by the Pradesh Congress Committee as part of the nation-wide protest called by Congress president Rahul Gandhi against the Centre. She was at the venue the entire day cheering the speeches of leaders, including that of her father. If Mr. Narayanasamy succeeds in his efforts, he would be the second Chief Minister to bring the family into politics after M.O.H. Farooq who brought his son M.O.H.F. Shahjahan into politics. Mr. Shahjahan is a Minister in the Congress government.
A march that broke Rangasamy’s silence
Former Chief Minister N. Rangasamy had been maintaining a stoic silence on the Cauvery issue, but decided to speak out last week.
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What prompted the Opposition leader to break his silence was the march conducted by the Congress leaders at Karaikal last week.
Top Congress leaders, including Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy, Ministers A. Namassivayam and R. Kamalakannan walked along with DMK working president M.K. Stalin when he entered Karaikal as part his Cauvery rights retrieval padayatra.
The AINRC chief had been facing criticism from the Congress and the AIADMK for maintaining silence on the Cauvery issue.
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The principal Opposition party failed to organise protests or participate in the Assembly debate when the government moved a resolution urging the Centre to set up the Cauvery Management Board.
But after the Congress participated in the padayatra held by the DMK, pressure was mounting especially from AINRC legislators from Karaikal on the former Chief Minister to make his stand clear on Cauvery issue.
Reporting by Rajesh B. Nair