The Hindu : PCC steps up efforts for going it alone in Pondy

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Wednesday, Mar 03, 2004

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Other States - Pondicherry

PCC steps up efforts for going it alone in Pondy

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, MARCH 2. The Pondicherry Pradesh Congress Committee has intensified its efforts to ensure that the party contests the Lok Sabha poll in the Union Territory on its own, V. Sabapathy, vice-president, told newsmen here today.

The PCC was persuading the high command to give its nod for the party going it alone, pointing out that the Democratic Progressive Alliance was restricted to the 39 seats in Tamil Nadu and that any DPA decision would not be binding on Pondicherry.

(The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which leads the DPA, already earmarked the Pondicherry seat to the Pattali Makkal Katchi, which has since announced its nominee.)

Mr. Sabapathy said Pondicherry had never automatically adopted any pattern of alliance or party line-up finalised for Tamil Nadu. Further, the Congress was now a ruling party here and had held the Pondicherry seat in the dissolved 13th Lok Sabha.

Mr. Sabapathy said the party was prepared to launch agitations to assert its stand that the high command permit the Congress to contest the seat here.

The press briefing was held after an informal meeting of the PCC members last night. The participants decided that the party go it alone in the poll after formally seeking high command's nod. Among those who attended were V. Vaithilingam, former Chief Minister, the PCC vice-president and some former legislators. A delegation, led by the PCC president, V. Narayanasamy, will tomorrow fly to Delhi and place before the high command a memorandum conveying the wish of the rank and file, it is learnt.

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PCC steps up efforts for going it alone in Pondy