AICC suspends Karate Thiagarajan again, forms disciplinary committee

“The AICC has approved the proposal sent by the general secretary (in-charge, Tamil Nadu) for taking stern disciplinary action against Karate Thiagarajan for frequent anti-party activities and breach of discipline. Based on this, he has been suspended from the party with immediate effect,” AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said, in a statement issued on Thursday.

The disciplinary action was understood to have been initiated to satisfy ally DMK which did not fancy Thiagarajan’s statements on future seat sharing between the two parties. State Congressmen concurred that the suspension was an outcome of the statement war triggered by Thiagarajan who was quoted as saying in a meeting organised by TNCC president KS Alagiri here recently that the Congress could win 35 wards on its own in Chennai Corporation and it should be given a minimum of 22 wards.

DMK leader KN Nehru had responded to it in strong terms of going it alone in the ensuing polls without the Congress. It had understandably, sparked media debates on the growing rift between the DMK and Congress. “Normally, AICC would issue a stern warning. This time, it did not wait because media started debating the fracture in ties between Congress and DMK after Thiyagu’s statement. Even TNCC president was not consulted. Venugopal consulted general secretary in charge Mukul Wasnik and straight away issued a statement,” said a TNCC senior requesting anonymity.

“We were told that the DMK high command had even took up the matter with AICC last week. The last thing our leadership wants at this moment is snapping ties with the DMK. Hence the swift reaction,” a Congress source revealed.

Strangely, this is the not the first time Thiagarajan has been suspended. He was suspended thrice in the past, most recently in 2011.

When contacted, Thiagarajan said, “I don’t know why they suspended me. This is not the first time it happens. I will clarify after consulting my leader P Chidambaram.”

Thiagarajan will most likely be asked to appear before a seven-member Disciplinary Action Committee headed by former TNCC chief Kumari Ananathan. Ironically, the committee has been constituted only after the announcement of the suspension. “The suspension will be revoked based on the committee’s recommendation. He could have avoided such statements. Today’s action was intended to warn loose cannons in the party. AICC has just demonstrated that it will not take anything disturbing alliance with DMK lightly,” a senior Congress leader added.