After the partial split in the TMC legislature party in Tamil Nadu, the virus has spread to neighbouring Pondicherry, where a former Minister and TMC MLA, Theni Jayakumar, has now expressed his desire to remain 'independently' as a TMC legislator, even after his party merges with the Congress on Wednesday.
At a time when both the TMC and the Congress are mounting a last minute campaign to make the "historic merger conference" in Madurai a huge success, these announcements by a section of the TMC legislature party has no doubt jolted the leadership. But party functionaries now say they are resigned to the idea that some of their colleagues "for whatever reason" will not come with them to join the mainstream of national politics.
Unfortunately, it is "personal polities'" and concerns about their own future that seems to be guiding some of these party functionaries. In the case of Mr. Jayakumar, TMC sources say he has been waiting for an opportunity to hit back at the leadership for denying him a berth in the coalition ministry in the Union Territory. A. Namassivayam was chosen for the berth and the TMC has only two legislators there.
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As for the dissension in the Tamil Nadu unit, the TMC leaders have made it very clear that there has been "some coercion from unknown quarters" for these five MLAs to petition the Speaker.
They argue that soon after a final meeting with the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, on the issue, the TMC leader, G.K. Vasan, has followed the "due process of law and the most democratic form of consultation at all levels of the party."
Though some reservations were expressed and suggestions made, the decision at all these levels was "unanimous." It is therefore surprising that the five MLAs have now opted to stay out of the merger and communicate their decision "through the safety of the Speaker's office," party seniors say.
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Though the TMC has stopped short of accusing the ruling AIADMK of "fishing in troubled waters," the TNCC president, E.V.K.S. Elangovan, has not lost a single op- portunity to hit at the AIADMK. Even for the non-allotment of the Race Course grounds at Madurai for the merger meeting, Mr. Elangovan blamed the State Government. The organisers had to settle for a fourth choice and that too on the Ring Road, outside the city, to hold the rally.
The stage is no doubt set for the merger. But there is a sense of apprehension among the second line leaders of both the parties; at the State level. It is still not clear as to who will lead the merged TNCC and whether the various factions can function together unitedly.
For the TMC, the inevitability of having to refer all problems and issues to the Congress high command in New Delhi for decision-making remains a sticking point. Since the formation of the party in 1996, the decisions, even if they were delayed, were taken in Chennai and in consultation with the party set-up.
Hereafter, it will have to go through the motions of taking it up with the high command, through the proper channels. And the final decision, they are afraid, may not always reflect the views and feelings of the party cadres.
There are no elections coming now. There may be time to re-build and unite the party.
But both the TNCC and the TMC are already worried about the future course of action, especially on forging alliances and that too with the AIADMK.
They do not want a repeat of 1996. The Congress high command has to restore inner-party democracy and a healthy respect for the State leadership, party functionaries say.