Sonia Gandhi asks Tamil Nadu Congress men to shun "groupism"

NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi today asked her party's faction-ridden Tamil Nadu unit to shun groupism and strive for strengthening the organization at the grassroots level.

During an hour-long meeting the TNCC delegation led by PCC President E V K S Elangovan had with Sonia and vice president Rahul Gandhi, she exhorted them to maintain unity and chalk out a plan to strengthen the party, in the backdrop of exit of former Union Minister G K Vasan who is set to float a new party.

"Be united, work together, get ready for elections which will be taking place in more than a year," was the message of Gandhi to the delegation.

Rumblings continued in TNCC after its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections where it drew a blank after fighting the polls without allies.

"We have assured the Congress president that all the leaders would work unitedly to bring Kamaraj rule back in the state," said Elangovan.

He rejected suggestions that a majority of party workers and leaders have left along with Vasan insisting that "only some individuals have left."

Besides Elangovan, former Union Ministers P Chidambaram, Sudarsana Natchiappan, former TNCC presidents Kumari Ananthan, K V Thangkabalu, former MPs, Covai Prabhu, Krishnasamy, former MLAs Yesodha, Jayakumar and Vasantha Kumar and Su Thirunavukkarasar were present during the meeting along with State incharge Mukul Wasnik.

A leader, who was part of the delegation wishing not to be named, told PTI over phone that they also offered several suggestions to the high command on strengthening the party.

Chidambaram drove past waiting reporters, who sought to know about the remarks of his son Karti decrying the high command culture and seeking autonomy to state units.

Elangovan downplayed the remarks saying the PCC does not know the full statement of Karti and the issue did not figure in the meeting with Gandhi.

Former union minister Jayanthi Natarajan, who was earlier part of the delegation was absent. Elangovan said that she could not come due to high fever.