GK Vasan revives dad’s Tamil Maanila Congress in Tamil Nadu

Tiruchy: Former Union minister G.K. Vasan on Friday revived the Tamil Maanila Congress before a massive rally of supporters here and pledged that his party, which he insisted “is the real Congress in Tamil Nadu”, would serve Tamil Nadu and its people without having to wait for orders from Delhi.“If anyone asks where is the Congress in Tamil Nadu, tell them TMC is the real Congress”, Vasan told the cheering crowd. “From now on, our members need not wait for orders from the leaders in Delhi, who are clueless about Tamil Nadu.

Our cadres need not frown at undeserving people getting posts and power using their clout in Delhi. Hereafter, we will take orders only from you”. “Congress was only interested in saving the UPA government even if that meant cutting the Congress roots in states like Tamil Nadu. It is now up to the TMC to be the custodian of secular, inclusive and nationalist values in the state. We will address Tamil sentiments without sacrificing India's unity and security”, Vasan said.

He said he was now making amends for his “grave mistake” in merging the TMC with the parent Congress in 2002.“Our aim is to ensure a prosperous Tamil Nadu and a strong India. And to achieve this aim, and with the blessings of Kamaraj, we are today reviving the Tamil Maanila Congress founded by Moopanar”, he said. Earlier he unfurled the TMC flag  orange, white and green similar to the national tricolour and the Congress flag, but with pictures of Moopanar and Kamaraj printed in the middle  amid heavy cheering.

Many ex-Congress leaders including former MPs B.S. Gnanadesikan, Viswanathan and N.S.V. Chithan, legislators N.R. Rangarajan and John Jacob, besides former MLAs Peter Alphonse and C. Gnanasekaran, were present. Much to the delight of his supporters Vasan said the new party will get back the cycle symbol of its erstwhile TMC. Heavy rains lashing Tiruchy abated late afternoon, much to the relief of the TMC leaders.  “The Congress has vacated the space reserved for a nationalist and secular party in Tamil Nadu.

We hope to gain this space,” said Peter Alphonse, adding, “Also the weakening of the DMK and the likely negative impact on the AIADMK due to Jayalalithaa’s disqualification will provide us more room to grow.”The late Moopanar had formed the TMC in 1996 after revolting against the then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao’s decision to align the Congress with the AIADMK. The TMC-DMK alliance, supported by superstar Rajnikanth, had swept the polls then and did well in the parliament election as well.

After Moopanar’s death, Vasan merged the TMC with the Congress and was made a member of the Rajya Sabha and later minister in UPA-I and UPA-II. He quit the Congress on November 3 alleging that the party high command was ignoring the state units and there was gross mismanagement of the Congress affairs by a few top leaders in Delhi.