The Hindu : Wait for Congress list continues in Delhi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 03, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Wait for Congress list continues in Delhi

By V. Jayanth

CHENNAI, APRIL 2. The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president, G.K. Vasan, is cooling his heels in New Delhi waiting for the high command to release the list of the remaining eight candidates from the State for the Lok Sabha elections. Though a decision was expected on Wednesday, Tamil Nadu did not figure in the list that was released that day.

According to information here, a detailed review of developments, which led to a crisis over the list, took place tonight and the party president, Sonia Gandhi, could decide and announce the names if she chose to. "It so happens that one or the other on the panel that is dealing with our State is not available in Delhi, when Ms. Gandhi is there. Even today, Vayalar Ravi will is not available and unless Ms. Gandhi takes a decision on her own, the list cannot be finalised," explains a senior functionary.

He said Mr. Vasan briefed both the panel and Ms. Gandhi on the "ground realities" and was hoping that at least by Saturday, the remaining names would be released. "Every passing day is a day lost in the campaign. We are conscious that it is more than 35 days since the ruling All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam released its list of 33 candidates and it is over a month since our ally, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, announced its nominees. All parties have been toiling in the field and it is a pity we have not been able to even name the candidates."

Functionaries in the TNCC said that the differences narrowed down to two constituencies - Palani and Rasipuram. In the first instance, the All-India Congress Committee indicated its preference for a leading lawyer, R. Gandhi, who did not figure in the State unit's recommendations. In the case of Rasipuram, a reserved seat, the draft list leaked from Delhi carried the name of Jayakumar, a sitting MLA. This drew protests, as he was the only legislator chosen for contesting the election, though there were other aspirants among the MLAs, including the Congress Legislature Party leader, S. R. Balasubramanian. The clamour, therefore, was to exclude all MLAs, without exception.

Another sticking point appeared to be the choice of the former Union Minister, P. Chidambaram, for the Sivaganga seat. Indications are that this constituency has been de-linked from review. But party sources said until Ms. Gandhi put her seal on the list and all the remaining candidates were announced from Delhi, there would be "no finality." Though the "inordinate delay" in finalising the candidates caused peculiar problems for the Democratic Progressive Alliance, a section of party workers here was concerned about the lack of a "fitting reply" to the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa's "tirade against the Congress and Ms. Gandhi." Many a Congress leader felt that it could not be left to its allies to retaliate. The party and its leaders must hit the road and hit back soon, without merely issuing statements, they argue. And Mr. Chidambaram could lead this campaign from the front, they say.

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