The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : `Time for Congress leaders to decide on State's future'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 15, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

`Time for Congress leaders to decide on State's future'

By Our Special Correspondent

MADURAI, SEPT. 14. The All-India Congress Committee general secretary, Salman Khurshid, embarked on his `meet-the-workers' programme today with the slogan, "The time has come for Congress volunteers in Tamil Nadu."

Addressing a joint meeting of workers of Madurai City, North and South district Congress committees here, he said, "The time has come for Congress leaders to decide the future of Tamil Nadu." Mr. Khurshid, who is in charge of Tamil Nadu affairs, said the Manmohan Singh Government sanctioned two mega projects for the State — Rs. 2,000-crore Sethusamudram project and the Rs. 1,000-crore desalination plant for Chennai — despite the State Government's strained relationship with the Congress. While stressing that the (State) Government "should be removed," he urged the workers not to underestimate themselves. He gave an assurance to visit the nook and corner of Tamil Nadu to "see you in power." Mr. Khurshid said the party workers should understand that the "enemy is not within but outside."

The AICC secretary, K.P. Krishnamurthy, said the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre was involved in rebuilding the secular structure of the country. The time had come to rebuild the party at the grass roots level. He called upon all sections to join hands to revive the party.

Attributing the UPA victory in the May 10 Lok Sabha elections to the "game plan and hard work" of the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president, G.K. Vasan, said the foundation for the victory was laid in the State. The purpose of organising workers' meetings was to make the party number one political movement in the State. Mr. Vasan was confident that it would be possible to revive Kamaraj rule if party workers remained united.

Criticising the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Government for its "anti-people policies," Mr. Vasan alleged that all sections were affected. He said the AIADMK was voted to power because of the people's faith in the alliance it had formed with the Congress, Communists and other parties. While Kamaraj was a model Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa was "what a CM should not be," he said. The TNCC president said the Congress should do what the people wanted. "The people wanted a change of government," he said.

The Congress Legislature party leader, S.R. Balasubramanian, said Tamil Nadu was the only State where the party could not come back to power after losing an election.

Party MPs, N.S.V. Chithan, B.S. Gnanadesikan and E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan, and K. Paramalai, MLA, were present. Later, Mr. Khurshid held one-to-one discussion with party functionaries.

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