The AINRC leadership went into a huddle to find a way out of the impasse over finalising a candidate for the sole Rajya Sabha seat after a section of ruling party MLAs have formed a pressure group demanding an increased say in the process.
Through the day, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy was engaged in marathon meetings with legislators to tackle an unexpected crisis that has complicated what was expected to be a straightforward process to anoint an AINRC candidate given its strength in the House and the principal Opposition, the Congress, shying away from contesting the election due on September 28.
But of the 15 MLAs belonging to the ruling AINRC, G. Nehru alias Kuppusamy, who had quit the post of Government whip to protest against the delay in announcing the party nominee, was conspicuously absent at the meeting. Agriculture Minister M. Chandrakasu hailing from Karaikal was also absent at the meeting citing health reasons.
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According to AINRC sources, the meeting chaired by the Chief Minister remained inconclusive and no specific decision could be taken since difference of opinion intensified with a few legislators showing revolt. The party leadership was not able to succeed in convincing the MLAs. Speaking to reporters, Mr. Rangasamy reiterated his stock statement that the party nominee for the Rajya Sabha polls would be announced at the appropriate time, even though nominations close on Friday — and Thursday is a holiday on account of Vinayaka Chathurthi.
The Chief Minister left the venue without taking any more questions from the media.
Even after Mr. Rangasamy left, ruling party MLAs M. Vaithianathan, P.M.L. Kalyanasundaram, P. Karthikeyan and P. Angalane remained huddled in a meeting at the venue. Another round of talks were progressing to hammer out a consensus within the AINRC.
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Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister V. Vaithilingam had returned from Delhi after meeting AICC president Sonia Gandhi. He had briefed the high command of the current political situation in the context of the Rajya Sabha polls.
The talk doing the rounds now is that the Congress might even rethink its decision not to contest, if only to cash in on the confusion in the AINRC ranks.
According to political observers, a contest is becoming increasingly likely for the lone seat, especially with the DMK’s former Union Minister S. Jagathrakshakan cropping up as a likely claimant as an Independent backed by the DMK.
Amid all this uncertainty, what is for sure is that any development in the Rajya Sabha polls would have a significant bearing on the Assembly elections in 2016.