CHENNAI/MADURAI: A day after DMK leadership sought the Congress high command to take action against him for repeatedly attacking the party over the debate on power share, the national party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha, Manickam Tagore, said on Tuesday that he had already discussed the matter with the party leaders on January 17 - before he made the public remarks.
When the reporters persisted, he said the media should directly ask Congress leader Rahul Gandhi about his stance on power-sharing. “I have already conveyed what I had to say about power sharing. I met the leadership last month and spoke about it,” he said.
Meanwhile in Chennai, AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal asserted that only the high command has the authority to take a final call on matters relating to the DMK-Congress alliance.
Addressing the media after participating in the TNCC protest rally in Chennai, Venugopal said individual leaders do not have the authority to publicly express opinions either in favour of or against alliance partners. "No one in the party has the right to speak about alliance matters. Individual views do not represent the party's official stand. Only the AICC leadership will take the final decision after due consultation," he said.
Commenting on the public row, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan said the Congress had every right to seek a share in power, even as he played down speculation of strains within the alliance. Speaking to reporters at the Chennai airport, he said while the VCK had, since its inception, articulated its aspiration for a share in governance, the party was aware that the conditions were not conducive at present.
Terming the DMK as an old ally, Venugopal said the two parties fighting together on many issues. “With elections approaching, there will naturally be discussions regarding the alliance," he said.
Following the protest rally against the Centre, Venugopal attended a meeting of TNCC district presidents at a private hall in Mogappair under the leadership of TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai. The meeting adopted six key resolutions focusing on organisational strengthening and alliance discipline.
Importantly, one of the major resolutions stressed the need to maintain strict discipline regarding public comments on the DMK-Congress alliance. The committee demanded firm action against party members who make statements that create confusion or disharmony within the alliance.
The resolution stated that such remarks violate party discipline and undermine the collective decision making process of the Congress leadership.
Earlier, when the media asked Manickam Tagore about his equation with Selvaperunthagai, he said there was no major issue between them. “This is an issue between an elder brother and a younger brother. It should not be exaggerated. There is nothing to claims that he is going to lodge a complaint against me. We are all brothers and are working to strengthen the Congress party,” he said.