CHENNAI: The expulsion of Tindivanam K. Ramamurthi from the Congress may have provided temporary relief to the high command and silenced party leaders with the same line of thinking.

But Mr. Ramamurthi has succeeded in stirring up a hornet's nest. Perhaps he was a little harsh in openly criticising the high command for hobnobbing with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Many second rank leaders and workers of the party are also "fretting and fuming" over the high command's "subservient attitude" towards that party, but are afraid to air their views openly fearing disciplinary action.

They say it is unfortunate that the DMK had taken the State Congress leadership for granted, because of its considerable influence over the central leadership. But the high command alone is to blame.

`Partial' leaders

Central leaders, including Union Ministers visiting the State, consider it a `sacred duty' to call on DMK president M. Karunanidhi, but seldom visit the Congress headquarters, Satyamurthi Bhavan, to meet party workers. Even Congress Ministers from Tamil Nadu are not eager to visit the party office though they address meetings organised by their followers in other parts of the State.

The DMK has successfully exploited its position at the Centre, they say. Central Government functions organised in the State are utilised by the DMK Union Ministers to boost their party's image.

They give the impression that it is due to their efforts that many schemes were sanctioned for the State, ignoring the fact that the Congress had a major role.

Missed opportunities

"We are not utilising the opportunities to project the image of the party in the State. At the most Congress Ministers who participate in such functions claim that the schemes had become a reality due to party chief Sonia Gandhi's efforts," lament the Congress leaders.

Another complaint is that though the Congress has come to power at the Centre after nearly eight years, local party leaders are unable to reap the benefits. On the other hand the DMK, which has been a coalition partner at the Centre since 1996, except for a brief period, has managed many central posts for its activists, including trusteeship in various port trusts and Central Government counsel posts. Only a few Congressmen have got such posts, that too with much difficulty.

The Congress leaders say the local functionaries are also to blame for the current state of affairs. They are keen on preventing leaders belonging to other groups from getting Central posts than getting something for themselves.

No strong leader

If only the State unit had a strong leader these things would not have happened, they claim. Mr. Vasan, till recently TNCC president, went all out to unite various Congress groups, but failed. He was always looked upon with suspicion. The animosity against Mr. Vasan was such that no leader belonging to other group greeted him after he became a Union Minister.

But one good thing Mr. Ramamurthi has done is that he has woken up the high command from its slumber. The high command will think twice before accepting fewer Assembly seats than what is due to it while holding seat-sharing talks for the Assembly elections, the Congress leaders add.

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