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Shanmugham's appointment as PCC chief welcomed

Special Correspondent

Rank and file of the Congress happy with announcement

PONDICHERRY: The appointment of the senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister P. Shanmugham, as president of the Pondicherry Pradesh Congress Committee has been welcomed by the rank and file of the party. Mr. Shanmugham, who returned from his native village of Neduncadu in Karaikal on Thursday told The Hindu that he would meet the mediapersons shortly.

When he became Chief Minister of the Union Territory in 2000 (without being member of the Assembly then) he was divested of the presidentship as the party then took the stand of `one man, one post.' The AICC then appointed V. Narayanasamy (now member of Rajya Sabha) as president of the party. He had been holding the post for the last five years.

There was opposition to Mr. Narayanasamy continuing to head the party here and the representations made by legislators of the Congress to the high command was an indication that the high command would take `firm decision' to keep unity in the party.

Although a few names were in the running when the high command decided to replace Mr. Narayanasamy, there was a strong expectation that Shanmugham should head the PCC.

Mr. Shanmugham kept out of politics for nearly four years despite appeals by party activists.

The appointment assumes significance with Pondicherry headed for Assembly polls in 2006.

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